Tidbits
by LyricalKris
Summary: Mini-scenes based on prompts given to me by readers. All pairings. All kinds of stories.
1. EB

**Dedication: To you, my wonderful readers. These mini-stories were based on prompts provided in my group. They are my gift to you this holiday season.**

 **Please feel free to join in. You can post images in my group on Facebook or send me a prompt some other way. Words. Lyrics. I'll be taking as many prompts as you can throw at me until the end of the year. I need a prompt and a pairing. I'll do anything you wish, except wolf stuff. Hehe.**

 **Thanks to Mina for encouraging me to post these. She's an enabler, and I love her.**

* * *

For: Belynda

Prompt: Her name was Lola.

Pairing: Edward and Bella.

* * *

"Her name was Leia. She was a princess. With a danish on each ear, and Darth Vader drawing near."

Bella snorted when she heard the words Edward sang under his breath. "Those aren't the words, Tony."

He looked up, his rag never pausing as he continued to clean down the bar. "What have I told you before, Lola? Parodies are better."

She grinned. "Anyone ever tell you you listened to too much Weird Al when you were growing up?"

"A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far away, Naboo was under an attack," he crooned to the tune of American Pie-a Weird Al Parody of the song.

"You're a geek, Tony."

"You like it, Lola." He leaned on the bar, waggling his eyebrows at her.

"Yeah, well. Everyone likes Star Wars."

"Mhmm. Speaking of which..." He held up two tickets. "Sold out midnight show. What do you say we get our geek on together, show girl?"

"With a segue like that, who could refuse?"

* * *

 **A/N: These prompts are un-beta'ed. Fair warning. Come join us in my group on Facebook. There are a lot of pretty pictures and discussion. My favorite things.**


	2. AJ

For: Sally

Prompt: A single tree on a hill, done up with Christmas lights.

Pairing: Alice/Jasper

* * *

Christmas was always the worst. It was the time when he felt least human.

When they were first together, Christmas regained some of its magic because he could share it with her. He shared his memories of lighting candles on the tree and gathering around with his brothers and sisters. He'd always loved Christmas. He told her of all the traditions he knew-his families and others.

It should have been a perk that as he aged-or rather, didn't-Christmas evolved. Jasper was endlessly intrigued by the lights-the showmanship of Christmas. But therein was the rub: the more Christmas evolved, the less he could enjoy it.

There were too many people, and their emotion around the holidays were far to volitile. He had tried thrice over the years, and it had always ended in disaster. People died. He felt more like a monster.

Vampires didn't get to celebrate Christmas.

When he couldn't be dragged out of his funk, Alice let him be for the day. She disappeared, and Jasper brooded by himself, hiding, waiting for the night like the monster he was.

But when night fell, Alice came back. She took him by the hand and led him to the crest of a hill. She pointed, and he laughed.

There on the hillside, far away from human eyes, was one solitary tree. It was brightly lit-a beacon in the darkness-and festivly decorated.

"How?" he asked, incredulous.

She laughed. "Christmas magic," she said, and kissed the tip of his nose.

* * *

 **A/N: Semi-canon. Heh.**


	3. EdwardCarlisle (EB)

**For: Mina**

 **Prompt: A news article about two BFF's, the groom and his best man, who staged romantic photos together the night before the wedding.**

 **Pairing: Edward/Carlisle (Edward/Bella)**

* * *

"This is a bunch of double standard bullshit right here," Edward grumbled, looking at his phone.

His best friend and best man too the phone from his hand. "What double standard are we talking about here? That this woman is going to be your wife in fourteen hours, and she's sending you pictures of her in bed with another woman? Are you jealous because you want to be in bed with another woman?"

Edward snorted. He was head over heels in love with Bella, and Carlisle well knew it.

It was the night before his wedding, and while his wife-to-be was ensconced in a hotel room somewhere with her three maids of honor-the same bed, apparently-he and Carlisle were at home, sharing one last drink.

"That's not what I mean. Although it's a fair point. Tanya is a lesbian, you know? What the hell is the difference between Bella being in bed with another man and Bella being in bed with her?"

"A question for our modern time," Carlisle said, clanking his beer against Edward's with mock solemnity.

"No,man, what I mean is, it's weird. You look at a picture of that-the girls cuddling together for one last sleepover-and it's normal, right?" Edward took another swig of beer. "But if we were to do that, everyone would think we're gay."

"Oh, no," Carlisle deadpanned. "Surely, that's the most horrible thing in the world. To be thought gay."

Edward smacked the other man's arm. "That's what I'm saying, man. It's bullshit." He furrowed his brow and polished off his beer. "We should do it. You know, for social justice."

Carlisle burst out laughing. "Edward, that is the most convoluted excuse anyone has ever used to try to get me into bed."

"No. It'd be funny, that's all."

"Mmhmm." Carlisle stood, swaying a little, and took Edward's hand. "For funsies. Is that right?"

"Yes." Edward nodded. "Exactly."

"If you say so."

Carlisle led him upstairs to his bedroom and they got in bed together, both of them laughing drunkenly. Edward sighed as Carlisle gathered him in his arms.

"Take a picture," Carlisle said.

"What?" Edward asked, groggy and confused. He liked the smell of Carlisle's cologne and ducked his head to breathe it in.

"Take a picture. To send to Bella."

"Oh. Oh, yeah." Edward yawned. "I'll do it in a minute."

But thirty seconds later, he was asleep in his best friend's arms.

* * *

 **A/N: Something like this is probably going to be a prologue for a poly fic I'm lining up.**


	4. JasperPeter

**For: Mina**

 **Prompt: Skyfall by Adele**

 **Pairing: Requested - vamp Jasper with anyone, Provided - Vamp Jasper/Peter**

* * *

Peter was the first person he'd ever loved.

What he'd had with Maria wasn't love. It was excitement and passion, sure. Sex with her was violence; as violent as the rest of their lives. It was perfunctory in a way. Expected. Part of the ritual.

But Peter, he loved. He knew it.

Peter who'd become dear to him. That was the only word for it. Peter was the only thing in his dark, ugly world that made him happy. He could smile. Talk about things-humane things. Things that let Jasper forget, for hours at a time, that he was a monster-all destruction and fear. They talked about philosophy and history and art. Peter did such lovely things with his hands. Not only to Jasper's body, but to anything-wood, stone, clay. He could shape it all into something beautiful.

He was beautiful.

Hey, when you turned into a supernatural being, anatomy and gender didn't mean so much. Jasper was in love with Peter. That was that.

Then came Maria's order. Jasper didn't challenge Maria. That was also a fact of his world. He couldn't challenge her, because he would lose.

He did the only thing he could think of. He threatened the beauty of Peter's world-Charlotte. He threatened her, because he knew Peter well enough to know he would run. They would run.

When they did, Jasper only gave the most basic of chases. He ran far enough that he could watch them disappear.

He watched as the sky fell, leaving his world in darkness again.

* * *

 **A/N: Always had a soft spot in my heart for Jasper/Peter.**


	5. EB II

**For: Sue**

 **Prompt: That picture of Rob reading Sex-Driven People**

 **Pairing: Not given. Assumed E/B**

* * *

She almost walked right past him. Almost. But just as she was getting to the edge of his vision, she stopped. She backed up. Edward put on his sexiest grin and put down his book. "Hello there."

"Oh." She was obviously startled at being caught staring. "Sorry. That title is an eye catcher. I was just trying to figure out what a book called 'Sex Driven People' would actually be about. Plot-wise, I mean."

"I have no earthly idea." He sat up on his lounge chair, his smile unapologetic. "Although, for what it's worth, I think this is a non-fiction book."

She crossed her arms and quirked an eyebrow. "You're the one reading it, and you don't know what it's about?"

"I'm not reading it." He patted the book. "This, my friend, is what we call a fishing pole, complete with line and bait." He mimicked casting a line and then reeling her in. He patted the space in front of him on the long lounge chair invitingly.

She didn't move, but the corner of her mouth twitched a bit. "Uh huh. So you're looking for fish interested in sex driven people?"

"I'm interested in fish period," he said, stretching languidly. "It's a conversation starter. I'm interested in conversation, that's all."

"So if I'd been a man?"

He shrugged. "I'm an equal opportunity fisherman. Sometimes the fish slips the hook, and I'm okay with that. Can't catch them all. Some are all about the catch and release." He let his eyes drop down ever so briefly to take her in. He'd only let himself look at her face to that point. She was a pretty little thing all around. "Some are good enough to eat."

At that, she finally laughed. She sat down on his lounge chair-the very edge, but still on his chair. "Go fish," she said.

* * *

 **A/N: Kris is sleepy. That is all.**


	6. EmRo

**For: BeLynda**

 **Prompt: Foolish Games - Jewel**

 **Pairing: Emmett/Rose**

* * *

"I can't do this anymore, Rose."

Rosalie looked over at him and raised an eyebrow, putting down her cigarette without lighting it. The words had been building in him all morning, threatening to come out, and now that they had, he was equal parts relieved and tired. At least he wouldn't have to put up with the smell of smoke in his room this morning. That had to be a plus even if the rest of this sucked.

"What are you talking about?"

Emmett sat up and rubbed a hand over his eyes. "This," he said, gesturing at them. "Whatever the hell it is we're doing here. Again."

"Oh, God. You're not going to go girl on me, are you?" She sounded so unconcerned. She actually laughed and stretched-the picture of an unconcerned, unashamed young woman with her long leg sticking out and one breast uncovered as the blanket fell away.

He scoffed because he knew damn well she'd done it on purpose. "Right. I'm the fucking douche. I'm a guy. I'm supposed to look at your body and be okay with the fact you waltz in and out of my life on a whim. It's not supposed to bother me that every time you stay over, I never know if I'm going to wake up alone. I'm just the asshole, always waiting for you."

"Christ, don't be so dramatic. It's not like we're exclusive. You're a free agent, man, same as I am."

"Yeah right. Yeah, I've been interested in a few other girls, but what's the point. You appear on a whim, and you know what happens if you happen to catch me with one of them. You get weird and jealous, and god fucking damn it, Rosalie. I'd rather it be you. I don't even consider other girls because there's always the what if. What if you decided tonight was a good night? I'm the biggest asshole, because I'd rather it be you every damn time."

At this she was quiet. They were both quiet. It was a heavy silence, and Emmett hated it. He grumbled again and got to his feet, pulling on his robe. "I'm going to take a shower. Just...please be gone when I get out." He had to swallow hard several times around the lump in his throat to say the next words. "And don't come back."


	7. EdwardJasper

**For: Kristina (not me)**

 **Prompt: A picture of a man taking a photograph, silhouette at sunset.**

 **Pairing: Edward/Jasper**

* * *

Jasper was so immersed in what he was doing, he almost missed the faux-shutter click of a cell phone camera. He looked over at Edward in time to see him put his phone down and grin impishly. "Seriously?"

"What?" Edward asked, stepping to his side.

Jasper let his heavy camera hang around his neck so he could rest his hand at the small of Edward's back. "You're ridiculous. We're here at the Grand Canyon, surrounded by a truly epic amount of beauty, and you're taking yet another picture of me? It's not that I don't appreciate your admiration, doll, but you see me every day."

Edward hummed and kissed him once, sweetly. "Baby, as grand as this view is, and as brilliant a photographer as you are, the picture you're taking has been taken by a million tourists and at least half as many artists."

He put his hands to Jasper's waist and very carefully maneuvered them both so they were standing with their backs to the canyon. "But the unflappable Jasper Whitlock enjoying his very first experience watching the sun set over the Grand Canyon? No one has ever taken that picture. No one but me." He tilted his head to rest against Jasper's and held his phone aloft. The obligatory selfie. "Now smile."

Jasper smiled, but he also kissed his boyfriend's cheek as the shutter clicked. Edward's selfies would never grace a studio wall, but they were amongst Jasper's most treasured photos. They were the story of their life, their adventures, and their experiences together. Priceless, beautiful, and rare.

* * *

 **A/N: Work is almost over!**


	8. CarlisleBella

**For: winterhorses**

 **Prompt: That picture of Carlisle in period dress from New Moon, looking all sexy from his time w/the Volturi**

 **Pairing: Carlisle/Bella**

 **A/N: This is NOT canon.**

* * *

It was her fault she was in this mess, Bella knew. She tried to tell herself she had no one else to blame for her predicament. She knew her place. As a servant of the castle, she'd had no right to look up at her master's guest. Her lot in life was to keep her head down and do what she was bidden-to keep her master's guests in drink in this case.

Truly, she had not meant to look up when she filled his goblet. And when she did look up, she hadn't meant to stare. She'd been struck by him. He was handsome-breathtakingly so. His look, as he stared back at her, was regal as befitted his class-entitled and arrogant-yet kid somehow. Or so she'd thought. She'd blushed, stammered an apology, and hurried away.

Too late, it seemed. That night, Mrs. Cope, who kept the girls in line, came to her with sad eyes but a no-nonsense command. The master wished for her to be bathed, brushed, and taken to his guest's chamber. She'd warned Bella not to resist. After all, the master and his guests would take what they wanted regardless.

"Don't make him hurt you, lovie," Mrs. Cope had said.

Bella repeated the mantra to herself as she sat, dressed simply and cold to her core despite the fire in the hearth, on Lord Carlisle Cullen's bed. When she heard him step into the anteroom, heard her master's voice with him, she clutched her hands into fists. Her fingernails dug into her palms.

"Aro, what is this?"

"A gift," her master said. "It is not good for a man to be so chaste, Carlisle. It's unnatural."

He left quickly, and the lord approached. Bella closed her eyes tight and clamped her jaw when he reached out to touch her cheek, but despite her resolved, she whimpered. "Please," she whispered. "I'm a good girl."

"Shh," he said, his voice soft. "How old are you, child?"

"S-sixteen." Many girls her age or younger were properly wedded and mothers already. Her youth would not deter him.

He retreated. "You have nothing to fear from me," he said, sinking into a chair near the bed. "I will not hurt you, and I will not touch you."

Bella allowed herself a furtive glance, long enough to see he was watching her with compassionate, curious eyes, and then looked back down again.

"You have my word," he said.

Somehow, she believed him. She relaxed ever so slightly.

"There now," he said, sounding satisfied. "Since it appears we have some time yet, let us talk."

And that was what they did. True to his word, that was all they did.

* * *

 **A/N:One more, I think.**


	9. Emmett

**For: Kristina**

 **Prompt: Picture of a man standing in water at sunset.**

 **Pairing: None Requested - None really used. It's an Emmett drabble**

 **A/N: This IS canon.**

* * *

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Leave him alone, Jasper. He's communing with nature."

Jasper scoffed. "Emmett doesn't commune with nature. He mostly barrels right through it. Or tears it apart. Or uproots it. Basically along the lines of destruction."

Edward's sigh was soft. "Why don't you head on back to Alice?"

"Sure, all right," Jasper said easily. Emmett wondered what his mood felt like to his brother. "I'll see you back at home."

When Jasper had gone, Edward approached. He waded into the water, silent to human ears, but of course, Emmett heard him coming.

"I know you don't think so, but there are a lot of perks to what we are," Emmett said after they stood silently for a good five minutes. He knew he didn't have to speak, but it still kind of weirded him out, when they were alone like this, to whisper in his head.

Edward snorted. "One of the perks of being who I am is being able to have silent conversations, but I digress. What perks were you speaking of?"

"This." Emmett held his arms out wide. "You know how cold the water is right now?"

"About as cold as your heart," Edward deadpanned.

"Exactly, man." Emmett craned his neck, looking up at the clouds. "The only time I'd get out this way was the winter, and I remember I wanted to just stand here just like this. The water's so still, you know? Still and too freezing to touch." He shrugged. "Sometimes I wanted to be still. I never could as a human."

"You hardly can as a vampire. Stillness is a strange thing to consider a perk," Edward said, but Emmett knew he understood. Jackass could see inside his head, after all.

Emmett tilted his head, admiring the range of colors in the sunset. He pointed to the streaked sky. "Dude. It's a pterodactyl."

Edward laughed-the sound echoing around them. "Come on. Let's go home."

* * *

 **A/N:Catch you on the flip side, lovelies.**


	10. CarlisleBella II

**For: Winterhorses**

 **Prompt: Picture of Peter Facinelli holding up a red gummy bear.**

 **Pairing:Carlisle/Bella**

* * *

Carlisle Cullen, CEO of Cullen Enterprise, was known for many things. He was always immaculate-suit perfectly pressed, hair neat, clean-shaven. He was a serious man, but kind and fair. He worked hard and expected his people to work hard, but he rewarded them for a job well done frequently and extravagantly.

But even though he threw a hell of a party, he never attended them. The man always meant business.

Which was why, when his assistant of three years walked into his office to find him playing with gummy bears, she was more than a little startled. First of all, it was the middle of the night. Well, near enough anyway. Bella had gotten behind in some of the research he'd asked her to do. She couldn't sleep anyway, so she figured she'd be more useful a her desk.

Carlisle didn't notice her at first. He sat at his own desk, sorting gummy bears into stacks by color and throwing the red ones into an empty coffee cup. Whenever he got one in, he raised his hands in triumph making soft cheering noises.

She giggled. She couldn't help it.

Carlisle sat up ramrod straight, looking to her with wide eyes. He put a hand to his heart. "You scared the hell out of me, Bella."

"Sorry, boss."

Bella would never be able to say why she did what she did next. Maybe it was that she'd finally seen him outside of his professional persona-was that glimpse really all it took? Maybe it was that it was night. Impossible things always seemed more possible at night.

Maybe it was because there were so many times these last three years that she'd found herself just a little too close to her boss, looked up to find him staring back at her. Maybe it was because every so often, when they found themselves scant inches from each other, Bella always thought he was about to kiss her. He never had, but she thought he wanted to.

She knew she wanted him to.

Whatever it was, Bella strode across the room and sat on the edge of his desk, facing him. "I like the reds," she said.

And that was all it took to start something more.

* * *

 **A/N: Happy IMMA SEE STAR WARS TONIGHT day!**


	11. EB III

**For: Janet**

 **Prompt: Creepy, minor-key version of All I Want For Christmas**

 **Pairing: Edward/Bella**

* * *

Most women her age-twenty years old, a student-would have hated her winter job. Bella didn't. She loved Christmas, so being an Santa's helper elf at the mall suited her just fine. She loved watching the excitement on the kiddos' faces as they crept closer to Santa Claus. She even thought the children who burst into tears were adorable, poor loves. She'd ask all of them what they wanted for Christmas, letting them believe she was asking so she could help Santa remember later. Really, she just liked hearing about the things that made them happy.

After a while, she noticed a young man came every day around dusk. He sat a bench near Santa's Village and simply watched. Bella had been concerned at first, but he didn't seem to be a creeper. He didn't leer or try to approach the children or anything untoward. He simply watched with a wistful expression on his face.

It seemed to Bella that he was lonely. In her overactive mind, she imagined scenarios. She imagined he was the eldest of many children and that his siblings had been adopted away, all of them except him. She imagined his family might have been killed in a tragic accident. She imagined countless things to explain away the quiet sadness written all over his face.

One day, she happened to be at the far end of Santa's Village, alone, as he got up to walk away. She hesitated, but as he passed, he looked at her. Straight at her.

A chill went down her back, and Bella felt frozen to the spot. Her mind was instantly muddled, and in her haze, she greeted him as she'd greeted so many other children. "Hi. What do you want for Christmas?"

His eyebrows arched, and he seemed amused. He chuckled, the sound low and…

Sinister?

"All I want for Christmas is you." He crooned the words, but not in the typical, jaunty way. No, the tune he sang was eerie. Off.

Creepy as fuck.

He chuckled again, shook his head, and walked away, leaving her staring after him.  
Bella got back to work and tried to forget about it, but he consumed her. More than just the creep factor, though she had to admit he'd gotten under her skin there. There was something about him, something she couldn't name but she couldn't shake.

She left work that evening but never made it to her car.

She woke up bound and helpless, her eyes focusing in the semidarkness to find him staring back at her. In that light, she could see his eyes clearly and not much else.  
They were blood red.

"Oh, little ducky. My, but you are in trouble now, aren't you? My Merry Christmas elf." He stood, and walked toward her, even his gait menacing. "You did ask me what I wanted for Christmas, pet." He clucked his tongue, shaking his head as he drew ever nearer. "You should never ask a question when you're not prepared for the answer."

* * *

 **A/N: EEP**


	12. EB IV

**For: Linda**

 **Prompt: An irate note on a fridge left to the coworker who stole a sandwich.**

 **Pairing: Edward/Bella**

* * *

"What a fucking hypocrite." Edward shook his head as he read over the note on the fridge.

Yeah, Edward had eaten her damn sandwich. He'd known whose sandwich it was when he ate it, and he'd done it on purpose. He'd done it because the week before, she'd eaten HIS lunch. His mother's homemade lasagna that he only got once or twice a year. The lasagna that he saved and savored, taking only a small slice every day so it would last him.

Her paltry sandwich-cheap white bread, one slice of processed cheese, and one slice of cheap bologna-was hardly retribution for what she'd taken from him. In fact, he thought she owed him at least two more of her crappy ass sandwiches. He opened the fridge door, took her sandwich and closed it without another thought.

The next day, he was almost giddy to see what her reaction was this time. Another note, more strongly worded maybe?

Instead, he found her, Bella Swan, in the break room herself. She was sitting at the table nearest the fridge, a hand over her eyes, her lips crumpled, obviously crying. His stomach twisted as he went to her. She couldn't possibly be crying over a crappy sandwich, could she?

"Hey," he said, sitting down beside her and putting a hand lightly to her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

To his surprise-and her shame-she broke down. She told him tearfully how her little sister, only eight years old, proudly made her a sandwich every morning. She was proud because she'd earned the money to buy a week's worth of sandwiches for her big sister.

"She said I have to work so hard to feed her, so she was going to feed me," Bella said, smiling a little in spite of her misery. "She knows. She noticed I made her lunch but not mine."

When Edward understood, his stomach dropped down to his shoes and he felt like the biggest piece of crap on the planet.

She'd stolen his lunch, he imagined, out of pure desperation. Because it looked like there was every possibility it had been a while since she'd eaten. It seemed like whatever little bit of money she had for food went to her baby sister.

What the hell had he done out of petty spite?

"I'm sorry. That was an overshare." Bella wiped at her eyes, pulling herself together. "It's just been a really crappy year, that's all."

He swallowed hard. "Would you let me take you to lunch?"

She shook her head. "I'll be fine, I-"

"You said yourself, a lot of crappy things have happened to you, right?" Like him, he thought, heart twisting with sorrow. "I want to try to be a good thing. That's all."

Her shoulders slumped, and she didn't look at him. "Yeah," she said. "Okay."

* * *

 **A/N: Perversely, angst makes me happy.**


	13. EB V

**For: BeLynda**

 **Prompt: You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht.**

 **Pairing: Edward/Bella**

* * *

At her ten year, high school reunion, Bella tried to pretend she wasn't watching the door.

Here was the thing: she'd had a crush on Edward Cullen since high school-long before every other woman in the world had. Long before he'd grown up, gotten famous, and stared out at her from magazines every time she went to the grocery store.

It figured he would make it big. Edward had always been the kind of guy who strutted around like the world should fall at his feet. More often than not, it did.

Bella had always been annoyed at her crush. He didn't know she existed. Except for the time they were paired together for a project in biology, they'd never spoken.

He breezed in the door an hour after festivities started, and of course, everyone wanted his attention. Bella made her rounds, pretending she didn't care he was in the same room.

Pretending he didn't still have an effect on her.

About a half hour after he arrived, though-catching her when she was sitting alone for the first time since she'd arrived-he was suddenly in front of her. "Hello," he said, his velvet voice wrapping around her like it always had.

Bella held her head up straight, determined to be cool despite the fact she had no idea why he'd even be looking at her and her inner teenage girl was going nuts. "Hi."

He sat down across from her and leaned across the table to speak to her. "You're Bella Swan, right? I have to tell you. I have all your CDs."

Bella started.

She was an independent artist, with a small, albeit dedicated, fan base. No one had heard of her, and that was fine. She loved that she could play at small, intimate venues with passionate fans. "You...you can't... I mean, thanks?" she stumbled, cool totally blown.

He chuckled. "Listen. This is going to sound incredibly vain…" He seemed uncertain. "But your song, _Pretty, Preppy, Preposterous_ …"

Bella's throat went dry.

That song was about him. It wasn't flattering, and it also revealed her crush.

Watching her face, his lips turned up in a blinding grin. "Maybe now's a good time to tell you, I was hoping you'd be here. I had the biggest crush on you in high school."


	14. JasperBella

**For: Jade**

 **Prompt: Picture of a guy holding two baby girls, one in each hand.**

 **Pairing: Bella/Jasper**

* * *

Jasper Whitlock had scars. He didn't remember what his skin looked like without them.

The first scars were inflicted by his father. He was little. He cried-toddlers did that. His father got frustrated. His father went to jail. Jasper got a scar thatbisected his face, condemning him to a life of being called a freak on sight.

When he was in his teens, he had a stepfather who had the same temper as his father. He supposed his mother had a type. They got into fist fights. Mostly, Jasper lost. He got more scars. He got taken away from his mother. Too little too late. He was already damaged.

The rest of his scars-so many, too many-he gave himself. His razors. Some days, he thought his razors were the only things in the world he loved. They were the only thing in the world he could trust.

One day, he went too far. He lost a lot of blood. Too much. He almost died. To be honest, he wouldn't have been too upset if he had. But he didn't, and so he was packed off the psychiatric hospital.

He met a girl. Didn't that beat all? He met a girl with her own scars, her heart and soul as mangled and terrible as his. Her name was Bella, and she was beautiful. Inside and out. And seeing how beautiful she was-scars and all-let him consider maybe he wasn't as ugly as he felt.

They were foolish. They got pregnant. It could have been the destruction of the tenuous life they'd started to build together. It wasn't. Instead, miraculously-nothing else in their lives had ever worked this way-it made them stronger. It gave them two more tethers to the world, two more reasons why life was worth living.

Two. Twins. Girls. They were born three years to the day after Jasper almost died. Cordelia and Alma - heart and soul. Often, he would sit in his living room with his precious daughters on his knees and just stare at them.

Bella sat beside him. She rested her head on his shoulder and stroked each of the girls' cheeks in turn. "What are you thinking about?"

He laughed-a shaky sound. He drew his finger down their arms and smiled when Cordelia gripped him tightly. "I'm looking at their skin. So fresh. And soft."

Unmarred. Unbroken. Pure.

Bella kissed his cheek. "We're never going to give them a reason."

Alma cooed at them, and waved her fists. Jasper took her tiny hand and leaned down to kiss it. "No. Never."

* * *

 **A/N: Star Wars was great. Just in case you were wondering.**

 **A few of you mentioned pairings you'd like to see. Feel free to drop by my Facebook group or send me a PM with a pairing and prompt. I'm taking pairings and prompts through the end of the year. As many as you'd like. Seriously. Feel free. I'll get to all of them.**


	15. EB VI

**For: Tracy**

 **Prompt: Baby, It's Cold Outside**

 **Pairing: Requested - Any, Given - Edward/Bella**

* * *

"Baby, it's cold outside."

Bella grunted, but she returned Edward's kisses. "Are you really trying to seduce me." She kissed him again and again. "With lines." She whimpered and threaded her fingers through his hair. "From the Blurred Lines of Christmas carols?"

Edward's arms snaked under her jacket, around her waist, and he pulled her tightly against him. "I am merely-" he said, his words a rumble against her lips interrupted by his slow, consuming kisses "-stating a fact. It's cold as balls outside, and nice and warm in here."

"Mmm." Bella drew her fingers down his chest, around his belly, and then cupped him between his legs. She pressed with just enough pressure to make him break their kiss with a gasp.

Her tone was conversational as she continued. "You know, I've never understood that term. Cold as balls." She squeezed and caressed him as she spoke. "Your balls are nice and warm." She leaned in, brushing her lips over his ear. "Especially when they're in my mouth."

He groaned. "Bella," he said, his voice raw. "God, please tell me you're staying."

"I don't know. Are you going to make it worth my while?"

He growled and pushed her back against the wall. He bucked his hips against hers, trapping her hand between them. "I think I can handle that."

She worked her hand loose enough to squeeze him again. "That makes two of us."

* * *

 **A/N: So tired. Wish me luck. Two finals today. EEK**


	16. EB VII

**For: Linda**

 **Prompt: Video of this guy riding the bike that Christmas threw up on**

 **Pairing: Requested - Edward/? Given: Edward/Bella**

* * *

"Score," Edward said, his eyes trained on the rearview mirror as he watched the cop car pull onto the road behind him. Lights flashed, and she sounded the telltale, bloo-woop of the police warning siren. He signaled and pulled over. Watching the officer's progress in the mirror, he waited until exactly the right moment to pull his helmet off. Chicks dug that helmet off hair-toss; he knew that from experience.

He flashed his sexiest grin. "Is there a problem, officer?"

Officer Bella Swan put her hands to her hips, pursing her lips as she considered him. "Cullen, what the hell is wrong with you?"

Edward took the Santa had he'd hung on his handlebar up and put it on his head, shooting her an innocent look. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said. He pressed his tongue against his spider bite piercing. He'd caught her looking at it more than once and not with revulsion either.

Sure enough, her eyes darted down to his lips. She huffed, but her cheeks tinged pink. "So you're going to tell me it's perfectly normal for you to speed past my beat looking like Christmas threw up all over your bike?"

"I wasn't speeding, which makes this traffic stop rather interesting, don't you think?"

The blush on her cheeks turned scarlet. "Littering then. There's no way in hell all that garland and tinsel stayed on your bike this whole time."

"I don't know, Officer. This case of yours is sounding a little sketchy." He waggled his eyebrows.

"You know I know what peacocking is, right? I turned you down once, Cullen. Take it like a man."

He whistled. "Look at the ego on you. Have you ever considered maybe I just really like Christmas? And I was out for a casual ride. That's all?" He leaned forward, dropping his voice conspiratorially. "But you never can be too careful. Maybe you want to pat me down. Make sure I'm not carrying any contraband."

"Like what? Fruitcake and mistletoe?"

"Oh, mistletoe. Why didn't I think of that?"

She finally cracked a smile and laughed. "You're ridiculous. But as long as you're not doing this for my benefit, you're free to leave," she said with a wave of her hand. She turned around and started walking away.

He caught her by her shirt and hauled her back.

"Hey, you going to add assaulting an officer to the list?" she asked sternly.

"Will that get you to pat me down?" He grinned.

She laughed. "Christ, you're impossible." She scratched something on her pad.

"Giving me a ticket, copper? For what?"

"It's my number, jackass." She turned, and this time he let her saunter off. "I'm off at six."

* * *

 **A/N: Updating in between finals. Phew!**


	17. EmRo II

**For: Linda**

 **Prompt: Video about an adult ball pit**

 **Pairing: None requested, Given: Emmett/Rosalie**

* * *

"Rosalie Hale...you have been sentenced to...the pit."

Rosalie crossed her arms and gave the attendant the glare of death. "What the hell is this?"

The man, who would not have looked out of place as a prison guard, consulted his paperwork. "You were referred by your boss, Carlisle Cullen, for a workshop."

"Yes, I know that," Rosalie said, impatient. She was well versed with her boss's eclectic work style. He was forever trying to figure out new and innovative ways to manage his business and his employees. "The Pit doesn't sound like a work study."

"That's because it isn't." The attendant looked up and flashed what had to be the most charming grin she'd ever seen. "Your boss left this message: Rosalie-You're one of the hardest working people I know, and an asset to my team. However, having a little fun during the workday is permissible now and again. It is, as of now, part of your job description to find an hour of pure tomfoolery-" At this the attendant snickered "-a week. As always, I trust you will do the best job you possibly can.'"

Rosalie had to struggle not to roll her eyes. "Crazy fool. He pays people good money to get work done."

The attendant smiled serenely. "Well, it looks like today he's paying you good money to get play done. Come with me."

Rosalie followed, her arms still crossed, until they came to a huge room.

A huge room filled with balls. She turned to the attendant and arched an eyebrow. He swept his arm wide. "After you," he said.

"You're kidding."

He looked back at her with a solemn expression. "Afraid not."

"You want me to jump?"

"I'd be more than happy to throw you, but you'd have to give me permission to do that." He grinned again.

He had a nice grin.

Rosalie argued, but when the attendant reminded her he had to send a report to her boss, she gingerly stepped off the edge of the walkway.

And shrieked when she sunk into balls up to her neck.

"Geronimo!" The attendant jumped in after her, sending a tidal wave of balls over her head. Rosalie shrieked again and shoved an armful of balls in his direction. As self-defense.

He smirked and started lobbing tiny balls at her head. Only snickering when she protested.

It wasn't long before Rosalie was diving after the attendant like they were both little kids. Half an hour passed like nothing, and Rosalie found herself laying back among the balls, the attendant next to her, as red-faced and out of breath as she was.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun.

"What's your name?" she asked the attendant when her breath had returned to normal.

He looked over and her, that charming grin wide and his eyes dancing with humor. "Emmett."

She hummed. "Well, just so you know, if you were looking for a good time to ask for my number, this is it."

He snorted. "That'd be unprofessional of me, wouldn't it?"

"You work in a ball pit."

"A grown up ball pit." He paused. "So can I get your digits, Ms. Hale?"

This time, it was Rosalie who smirked.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you for your patience regarding my normal stories. My brain is almost clear! And thank you for these wonderful prompts. Keep 'em coming. They're keeping me sane since I can write in short spurts.**


	18. TanyaLeah

**For: Anon**

 **Prompt: Gay it up for Tanya / Leah meeting during a NYC subway ride to work.**

* * *

Tanya spotted the perv as soon as he made his way onto the subway car. He stood off to the side, letting people move past him so he could case the joint. She watched as his eyes raked over the forms of each woman on the car in turn. He made a disgusted face at a heavy-set woman, scoffed at a blond whose hair was a disaster area.

His eyes landed on Tanya and widened. The jackass actually licked his lips. Tanya shuddered with disgust. She looked the guy right in his eyes, tilted her head, and scowled. He scoffed, mouthed the word 'bitch' and looked elsewhere.

Tanya saw the other woman a split second before he did. A young thing, her dark hair falling into her face as she hunched over a laptop, typing furiously. A college student, Tanya would wager. A pretty one.

She had no idea why she had the urge to intervene. She had no problem stepping in when anyone was being harassed, but it was presumptuous to to assume the girl couldn't handle herself. But the guy had creeped her out, and the idea of him catching the girl unawares was an unsettling one. Tanya was up and out of her seat before she had a chance to think it through. She plopped down in the empty seat next to the girl in time to smirk at the approaching creeper.

"What the hell is your problem, lady?" the man said in a huff.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She looked to the side to find the college girl had looked up from her work. Whoa. She was pretty. Striking eyes. Sleek hair. Beautiful face. Tanya's smile had a touch of flirtation despite herself. "Mind if I sit here?"

The girl's eyes flicked between her and the looming guy. She looked back at Tanya and grinned. "Sure."

The guy cleared his throat, stepping closer. "Hey, baby, I-"

"Oh, my God. Are you dense?" the girl asked, shaking her head at the guy.

To Tanya's everlasting surprise the girl threw her arm over Tanya's shoulders. She was still glaring at the guy. "Her and me? I can guarantee you we get more pussy than you ever will. You picking up what I'm putting down now, home slice?"

That was clearly too much for his neanderthal brain to handle. He stuttered, mumbled something offensive and homophobic, and finally stumbled away to lick his wounds.

As soon as he did, Tanya burst out laughing. "That was fabulous."

The girl took her arm from around Tanya and steadied her laptop. "Yeah... about that. I wasn't kidding."

Tanya looked at her, a slow smile spreading over her face. Oh, hell yes. "Well, sounds like it's going to be a good day for me. I'm Tanya."

Despite her youth, the girl's grin was confident. "I'm Leah."

* * *

 **A/N: I'm mostly posting these in the order I'm receiving them. I posted this one right away because I couldn't send anon a message.**

 **I'll take any prompt you want, but if possible, leave the prompt in my group at Facebook or at least send me a PM. It's hard to keep track of the ones that are part of a review. I just don't want to forget anyone! :)**


	19. EB VIII

**For: Laurie**

 **Prompt: Unchained Melody**

 **Pairing: EB**

* * *

Edward had been sent up for seven years. He'd served four and a half for good behavior. It wasn't a surprise, really. He'd been innocent. That hadn't mattered. Four and a half years of his life were gone.

No. All of his life was gone. Destroyed, and that was partially his fault. He had pushed away all of them. All his loved ones.

His Bella.

His parents had the means to go through any number of appeals, but by the end of the first trial, Edward had been exhausted. Exhausted and defeated. He'd refused to let them help, and then he'd refused to see any of them. Not his parents. His brother and sister.

Not his Bella.

She tried longest. For three years, she sent him a request every month. For three years, he rejected it. Each time, he ached. What he wanted most, the very most, was for her to be happy. It was all he'd ever wanted. Every time one of her requests came to him, it would hurt. She wasn't moving on.

A year and a half ago, they'd finally stopped coming. He'd been relieved.

He'd been devastated.

Now, he was free. He hadn't told anyone of his parole, so he didn't expect anyone to be there waiting. So when he saw her, he froze just inside the prison gates.

Bella had her arms wrapped around her torso. She looked huddled and small. Her eyes were tired and wary and…

"Edward?"

He was moving before his brain unfroze. He was out the gate and his arms around her in the next heartbeat. "Bella," he said, the name coming out in a whisper-desperate and strangled, like a man crawling through the desert, begging for water. "Bella." He caught her face in his hands. He kissed her. "Bella."

She kissed him back.

Then she pushed him away. She pushed him back, and her eyes were fierce as as she stared at him.

When she flew at him again, she started to hit him. Bella who abhorred violence, who hated it when women in movies and television shows slapped men. She slugged him over and over again. "You stupid, fucking son of a bitch. You asshole. How fucking dare you? Why did you do it? Why did you waste all this time? Why wouldn't you see me? I love you." She collapsed to her knees on the pavement, sobbing as she bent forward, her arms wrapped around herself. "Why did you do it, Edward?"

He knelt in front of her, heartbroken and guilty and mad at the world for doing this to them. "Bella," he whispered, touching her carefully-just his hand to her shoulder. "I never wanted you to be alone this long."

She raised her head, her eyes red, but, to his everlasting surprise, she laughed. "You stupid ass. You and your fucking martyr complex."

She wrapped her arms around him and shuffled forward into his embrace. "I would have waited for you half a lifetime," she said.

Edward closed his eyes, gathering her impossibly closer. He still couldn't believe this was happening. For four and a half years, he'd dreamed of this, hungered for her-her scent, the feel of her skin. He could hardly believe she was in his arms.

"I love you," he said, rocking her as he broke down himself. "God, I never stopped. Endlessly, I love you. I love you."

* * *

 **A/N: Mew**


	20. Esme

**For: Linda**

 **Prompt: Image that says "Sometimes you just have to turn around, give a little smile,throw the match, and burn that bridge**

 **Pairing: None Given, Esme**

* * *

Most mothers wanted what was best for their children. Esme was no different. She had three children, each of them unique and wonderful in their own way. Each of them had different strengths and weaknesses. She wanted them to have every chance to achieve anything and everything they wanted.

Her youngest, her baby Da Vinci, was a genius. He was a prodigy. At four, he read at a sixth grade level, understood science better than she did-which she had to admit wasn't difficult-and played the piano beautifully. Edward was gifted, and Esme wanted very badly to do right by her brilliant boy.

To that end, there were an endless amount of people to kiss up to. Time and again, Esme swallowed her pride. She made nice with the right people; people who looked down their nose at her. She wasn't as rich as they were, and she wasn't as smart. Oh, she was no fool, but she was no genius either.

Seeking to get Edward into a prestigious program with limited space, she dressed all three of her children to the nines and headed to an event they were hosting.

Everything went wrong. Emmett-her bright, bubbly, towheaded mischief maker-was an unholy terror. She had a hell of a time stopping him from playing chase me, chase me with a little blond girl. She tried to ignore the judgmental stares as she took him aside to tell him to calm down.

"This is important to your brother," she said.

Emmett nodded solemnly and calmed down. Esme's heart warmed. Her kids would do just about anything for each other, and it was the sweetest thing in the world.

But the worst thing, the very worst thing, was when the very woman Esme was trying to impress sneered at her little girl.

Alice was a unique child. She was sweet but a little off. She was socially awkward to an extreme, and she struggled to relate to other children.

The woman made a face at something strange Alice had said and turned to Esme with a tight, condescending smile. "Mrs. Cullen, your Edward is quite charming. It seems like he'd fit in well with us here." She looked at Alice with disdain and back to Esme. "It seems like your daughter isn't quite ready to interact with the other children. Perhaps next time you'd leave her at home."

Esme looked down in time to see Edward's eyes flash. He opened his mouth and then shut it again quickly, looking up at her and away with a scowl on his face. She knew exactly what he'd been about to do. Alice's little brother was her best friend and fiercest defender. But he was also an obedient child, and his mother had told him to mind his manners no matter what. He fumed, but he kept his peace.

Esme hesitated only a moment more. She raised her head, squared her shoulders, and looked the woman right in the eyes. "You know, Mrs. Stanley, I don't think Edward would fit in well here. You see, my husband and I are teaching our children compassion and acceptance for all. I'm afraid your cruelty and intolerance are simply unacceptable. Perhaps we'll reconsider when you're ready to react with the rest of humanity. Asshole."

With that, she took the hand of each of her youngest children and beckoned to Emmett to follow as she strode toward the exit.

"Mom," Emmett said in an excited whisper. "You said a bad word." He giggled, and Esme smirked.

Edward would be fine without their precious academy. Any place that tried to teach him he was above or better than his siblings was clearly not worth any of their time.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you for all your patience. I promise I'll get to all of them. Taking requests through the end of the year, so you have plenty of time.**

 **Finals are done, so I should be getting back to my normal stories too.**


	21. EB IX

**For: Sheri**

 **Prompt: Bella returning from iraq, married to ed with children. Xmas time**

 **A/N: Whoops...I forgot the Christmas part.**

* * *

He just wanted her to come home.

This tour was getting to her. Edward could tell. She smiled for him and the kids when they were on Skype. She grinned and sang silly songs with the kids. Read them books when she could. She grinned so wide, listening to their four-year-old son sounding out the words as he read back to her. She played clapping games with their two-year-old daughter. And when it was just the two of them, Bella would even tease Edward a little bit-tilt her head and waggled her eyebrows in that come-hither way she knew drove him crazy.

But Edward knew his wife. There was something desperate about the look in her eyes. She'd seen so much, done so much, he couldn't fathom, and it was getting to her. He played the understanding army husband-this life had never been for the faint of heart-but he just wanted her to come home.

He knew what she needed. It was the little things that kept people grounded. She needed the minutiae of everyday life. She needed to feel the softness of their daughter's hair when it was brushed and shiny. She needed to listen to their son banging out disjointed notes on their piano until the song smoothed out into something lovely. She needed the chaos that was breakfast at the Cullen house. She needed to fall asleep in their son's bed, too exhausted to get through bedtime stories. She needed Edward to pick her up and carry her to their bed, her arms around his neck and her head on his shoulder. She needed his kisses and the feel of his skin against hers.

She just needed to come home.

The kiddos were with Grandma and Grandpa for the evening. Edward sat down, reminding himself for the umpteenth time he had to school his features. Whatever Bella was going through, he couldn't make it worse by making his own unhappiness known. He was so worried for her, but she couldn't know that.

Skype pinged that he had an incoming call. Edward's smile was genuine as he connected. No matter what, he could never get enough of talking to his wife. "Hey, ba…" The endearment died on his lips.

The background behind her was familiar. Not stark canvas or metal wall. No. It was the inside of a home. Their home. Edward pushed back from the desk and darted out into the hallway. He ran to the banister.

She was there. Dressed in her fatigues, looking up at him with shining eyes and a smile. She was really there in their living room.

Edward ran. She dropped her cell phone-the source of the Skype call-and ran at him. She jumped into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist. "Bella," he said. "Bella, Bella, Bella." He spun her around, so happy he could have flown. "You're home."

She giggled and sniffled and pulled away from him enough that she could look in his eyes. She cupped his face in her hands. "I'm home."

* * *

 **A/N: OMG is that the time?! I have to sleep!**


	22. Edward

**For: Chartwilightmom**

 **Prompt: Warm wishes include margaritas, palm trees and a dark blue bikini...go!**

 **A/N:*cackles***

* * *

Edward only got a few steps down the beach when he stopped short, his mouth dropping open. "Fuck," he muttered, earning a glare from a mother who hurried her two young children away. Ignoring them, Edward hurried back to the bar and set his tray down.

"Emmett." He beckoned to his friend urgently, but Emmett was chatting up a leggy blond. Huffing, Edward walked over to him. "I need a favor.

"Dude, I seem to be a little preoccupied at the moment," Emmett said, flashing a grin at the blond.

The woman smirked. Harried, Edward went over to her. "Listen. My friend here, despite his big, beefy exterior, is honestly one of the sweetest guys in the world. Say yes. He'll treat you like a princess and respect the hell out of you. But for now, I need to borrow him for five minutes."

Blondie looked amused. "I think your friend needs you more than I do."

Emmett's grin was blinding. "Does that mean you need me already, baby?"

"We'll see, stud. Help your friend."

Finally, Emmett turned to Edward. "Okay, what?"

Edward grabbed his friend by the arm and dragged him away from the blond—this was not one of his prouder moments. "Look, I need you to take a drink to someone."

Emmett balked. "Dude, I'm the bartender. That's not in my job description."

"Be a bigger snob." Edward shook his head. "You owe me like a million, Emmett. You have to do me this one solid."

Emmett crossed his arm. "Fair point, but are you going to tell me why?"

Edward rubbed the back of his neck. "You remember I told you about the girl from last night?"

At that, Emmett laughed. "The one who had you all flustered and twitterpated and tripping over your own name?"

"In case anyone hasn't told you lately, you're an asshole."

"He said to the man he was asking a favor of…"

"Stop being a pain in the ass. Anyway. Long story really short, I may or may not have told her I had a job more glamorous than waiter. Which would be fine, except that she's the one waiting for these margaritas."

Emmett chortled, but he craned his head to look down the beach. He whistled. "The one with the blue bikini? She's a cutie."

"That's the point."

"Yeah, fine. Give me the stuff." Emmett huffed, but he picked up the tray. "And don't let anything happen to my bar while I'm gone," he called over his shoulder.

Edward breathed a sigh of relief. Crisis averted.

"It's going to blow up in your face, you know."

Edward jumped. He looked up to find the blond was closer now. "Maybe."

She narrowed her eyes. "Definitely."

Edward quirked an eyebrow.

The blond pointed to herself. "I'm the best friend."

Edward's heart dropped down to his shoes. The blond smiled. It was a snake-like smile. "Best of luck," she said sweetly, and then walked in the direction Emmett had gone.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm sorry. I couldn't help it. *chortles***


	23. EmmettCarlisle

For: SagaDevotee

Prompt: DaddyKink

Pairing: Emmett/Carlisle

A/N: .. … … … Whhhat the actual fuck am I about to do!?

* * *

Masculinity was such a strange thing to consider. The idea that men should not show emotion or be considered lesser somehow. Carlisle had never understood it.

Regardless of how ridiculous the notion was, it existed. Many men, perhaps even most men, kept their emotions bottled up tight, stored away in a deep, secret part of themselves where they stashed their vulnerability.

Emmett McCarty was the epitome of all that was man. He was tall and broad. He was all muscle and strength with a cocky grin and a devil-may-care attitude.

For a man like Emmett to put everything in Carlisle's hands-control of his body, his submission, his emotion-was an incredibly powerful thing. Carlisle marveled. It never ceased to amaze him, that Emmett would trust him with this-could let go of any inhibition, any fear of being considered less. He was totally himself-stripped down to his base urges and needs.

Currently, he was kneeling on the floor in front of Carlisle, his head cradled on his lap, crying his eyes out. He had one hand twisting in Carlisle's shirt, the other reaching back to rub his ass, which Carlisle had just gotten through paddling a deep crimson color.

"Shhh," he soothed, running his fingers through Emmett's soft curls and scratching the space behind his ears. "There now, little boy. You make your daddy so proud of how you took that."

He took Emmett's face between his hands and lifted his head. Emmett sniffled and looked up to meet Carlisle's eyes. Carlisle smiled at his boy and gently wiped his tears away. He kissed his forehead. "Do you feel better?"

Emmett sniffled again, but he nodded. "Yes, Daddy."

"Good boy." He drew a thumb over Emmett's lip, desire building in him when he big, beautiful boy kissed the pad. He pressed on Emmett's lower lip and watched his boy suck him in. "What do good little boys do to thank their daddies for taking such good care of them?"

A smile played at Emmett's lip. His big, brown eyes sparked with mischief and pleasure. He leaned forward, pressing a kiss to each of Carlisle's knees. He took his time, working his way up and releasing Carlisle from the confines of his pants. He took him in his mouth.

"Christ, you know what to do with that mouth, don't you, baby?"

Emmett hummed his assent and Carlisle groaned as the sound vibrated along his cock.

He was a lucky man.

* * *

 **A/N: You guys are really trying to challenge me with some of these. LOL!**


	24. EmmettJasper

**For: Joanne**

 **Prompt: Emmett/Jasper from Notes on the Fridge having their first child**

 **A/N: Joanne requested I revisit my boys from this story. You don't have to have read Notes on the Fridge to understand the story, but as some background, Emmett and Jasper were college roommates who bonded because they were both the healthy older siblings of younger siblings with cancer. Jasper's sister Lucy died. Emmett's brother Edward lived.**

* * *

I walked in the door and knew something was wrong.

There wasn't a lot that could make my Jasper go all ashen. He looked sickly. He was standing in the living room, eyes all unfocused, cellphone clasped to his chest. I dropped my bag and raced to him. "Babe, what happened? What's wrong?" He didn't respond. Didn't look at me. "Jasper, come on. You're freaking me out."

You wanna see a big man cry, hubs? Come on.

He finally looked at me, all gape-mouthed, and not in the sexy way. He looked at me and then he smiled. "We're chosen."

Well, that was cryptic as fuck. I wondered at first if he was talking about one of his nerdy things. The chosen. That was one of his things, wasn't it? I couldn't remember. But then his grin got out of control as he looked me. "We're chosen," he said again.

"You know you're not making any sense, right?"

"The list, Em. The list. A girl, a woman, chose us to adopt her baby. I..I..I mean we have to meet her, but-"

I swept him off his feet, spinning him around as I let out a whoop. I set him down, grabbed his face between my hands, and kissed him. Hard.

"We're gonna be daddies?" I asked when I had to breathe.

He laughed and nodded. I kissed him again.  
 **~0~**  
Five months later, we were in the delivery room with Angela, our birth mom. Sweet little thing. Twenty years old and not ready to be a mom. We had a good thing going on, the three of us.

It was weird. I'd hated hospitals most of my life. I hated the waiting, the wondering if everything was going to be all right. I hated that I knew that somewhere in the same building, someone was dying, and I especially hated that I never knew when that someone was going to be my baby brother.

It was kind of chaotic toward the end there. That or my nerves were just shot by that point. Either way, little Angela gripped my hand, groaned as she bore down, and then there was crying.

My baby girl. Mine and Jasper's.

Our daughter.

An hour later, Angela was asleep, and so it was just Jasper and me left to bond with our kids for another little bit before we had to let in the small circus waiting for our grand entrance. But right now, we were a family of three. Me and Jasper holding each other and our baby. Shirtless because someone had told us skin to skin contact was key.

She was hot. She radiated heat. Baby heat.

"She's so little."

I had to laugh because Jasper sounded awestruck. "That's like the fifth time you've said that."

"Well, she is." He picked up her hand. "Tiny, perfect fingernails." He tilted his head. "You know, she doesn't look like a River."

Jasper and his geeky names. I leaned over to kiss him. "I think she's a Lucy."

He looked up. "Really?"

Lucy was his long-dead sister. "Yeah. I think it fits." I cuddled my baby close. "A Lucy who doesn't have to fear hospitals. Because from where I sit? Hospitals can be an awesome place too."

"Lucy," he said, and our little girl opened her eyes to blink at him.

My pretty girl, and my guy. I kissed them both and felt like the luckiest fuck on the planet.

* * *

 **A/N: Aww, I miss those boys.**


	25. EB XI

**For: Laura**

 **Prompt: A futuretake from Nightmare Before Christmas**

 **A/N: Again, you don't really need to read Nightmare. Just know that before meeting Edward, Bella was in an abusive relationship with Mike.**

* * *

"Down. Down, down, down, down."

Bella laughed, watching her almost two-year-old daughter's chubby legs kick from her seat in the shopping cart. "Okay, Emilia. Calm down. I'll put you down, but you have to stay right by me. Okay?"

Of course, the baby nodded her solemn promise. And, of course, almost the second she was free, Emilia took off. "Emi!"

Bella heard him before she saw him. She was turning the corner when she heard his voice.

"Well, aren't you a pretty girl?"

Her blood ran cold. She jolted forward, grabbing Emilia up into her arms just before Mike could touch her.

Even Forks was supposed to be safe now. Mike's family had moved away the year before. She had assumed he'd gone with them. It was why, even though the market made her nervous-this was where it had started with Mike-she had volunteered to get groceries. Edward was helping charlie pack. Her father had finally decided he wanted to be closer to her and his grandbaby.

Apparently, his parents had left him behind. Apparently, he was working at the market adjacent next to the shop he used to run for his parents.

"Bella." He was as surprised to see her as she was to see him and about as pleased. He huffed. "Color me surprised. Don't you know better than to let a baby run off by herself? Responsible as always."

Bella's heart was pounding hard against her chest, painfully hard. Somehow, though, she had room in her panicky thoughts for indignance. "I didn't-"

No. She didn't owe this asshole any explanations.

"Mommy, down," Emilia insisted, pushing at Bella. Her daughter was the antithesis of shy, and she probably wanted to jabber at Mike.

"We're leaving, baby." Bella turned around, intent on walking out of that market without looking back.

She hadn't taken two steps before Mike grabbed her arm. "Hey, don't run off so quick. Overreacting as always."

Bella's first reaction was stark fear and revulsion. She pulled out of his grasp with a gasp. Her fight or flight reflex was in overdrive, her body poised to run.

But the fight in her was far from silent. Oh, no. She had been through too much to play the victim again. Never again. Especially not to him.

Bella tightened her arm around her daughter and whirled to face Mike. she stepped up to him, right in his bubble space, and pressed forward onto the balls of her feet so she was right in his face. Despite the fact she was desperately afraid, she knew her scowl was fierce. Her stance was intimidating. She saw his eyes widen, and he moved his head back as though he was startled by the confrontation.

Of course. Bullies always were.

"Don't touch me." Her words didn't shake, didn't waver at all. "Don't talk to me. Don't even look at my daughter. You do any of those things, and I promise you, you won't like what happens next."

She pinned him with her stare for two more seconds, then she turned and strode out of the market with her daughter safe in her arms and her head held high.

* * *

 **A/N: I want to do a full future take like this at some point. Sigh. Me and my intentions.**


	26. CarlisleBella III

**For: Jade**

 **Prompt: A video with a cutie patotie daddy taking a bath with his newborn baby**

 **Pairing: Carlisle/Bella**

* * *

Carlisle was tired. And sore. Mostly sore. It had been a horribly long, trying shift-a several car pile-up with more injuries than he wanted to think about.

Still, there was a jaunt to his step as he hurried up the walk to his front door. He was eager to get inside to his wife and newborn daughter. It was the first time he'd been to work since Monroe was born, and in the fleeting minutes he'd had in between crashing patients, he'd missed her terribly. She was growing so fast, he almost expected to find she'd noticibly changed in the hours he'd been gone.

He opened the door slowly, in case Monroe was sleeping. He found his family in the living room.

"You're home." Bella pushed up off the couch and ambled over to him, her eyes half-hooded with sleep. She sighed as she put her arms around his neck and kissed him hello.

Carlisle chuckled, pulling back to take a good look at her. "Honey, you're asleep on your feet."

"Naw," she said around a yawn. "I'm okay. I was about to give Mon a bath."

"Uh huh."

Bella squeaked, tightening her grip around his neck as he swept her up into his arms. "Baby...the baby."

He laughed again, and checked the mat where his daughter was awake and alert, waving her arms in the general direction of the dangly things above her. "Be good a minute, Monroe. I have to put Mommy to bed."

She groaned. "You've been at work. I can do it."

He laid her in the bed and kissed her forehead. "Go to sleep, Bella."

She grunted but flopped over and was asleep almost instantly.

Carlisle went back out to the living room, gathered up the baby, and headed to the bathroom. "Tell you what, beautiful girl. We're going to multi-task."

He eased himself into the just right for baby warm water, sighing when the heat soothed his sore muscles. "Ah, see. Daddy needed that." He reached over the edge of the tub, cradling the baby with her head safely in one palm. He eased her into the water with him, grinning at the little noises she made and the way her tiny fists splashed in the water. "Daddy can relax and baby gets clean," he said in a sing-song voice. "I missed you, little girl."


	27. EdwardCarlisle

**For: Mina**

 **Prompt: A picture of a young, homeless man.**

 **Pairing: Edward/Carlisle**

* * *

"Why are you helping me?"

It was the umpteenth time the young man had asked the same question. Carlisle sighed. He was a jittery thing, nervous about being in someone's house. His eyes-such vibrant green eyes-darted around. Carlisle had a fleeting thought that he was looking for valuables he could run with easily, but he dismissed the thought almost as soon as he had it. He'd been watching this boy for days now, and it seemed to him like his skittishness was born of the fact he was new to the streets. New, overwhelmed, and terribly frightened.

Carlisle took a step toward him, and the boy stumbled back a couple of paces.

That was something else the kid had said several times. He'd said he wasn't a whore. Carlisle had the feeling he'd already been approached if not pressed into service. He knew it happened.

Pushing that thought away, he waved a hand at his kitchen chair. He'd wanted the boy to shower first, but clean furniture wasn't so terribly important. "Sit down."

The other man looked uncertain until Carlisle backed away a few more paces and sat himself, across the table, furthest away from the him. Carlisle put his hands on the table and clasped them. "I was a very young father. Very young," he said. "You could say my son and I grew up together." His heart twisted, and he breathed out shakily. "As you might imagine, I messed up. Badly. He ran away when he was sixteen. He got lost, ended up on the streets..." He swallowed hard. "And he died there. Before I could find him."

For once, the boy's eyes were still, concentrated on him. They were soft and sad. "I'm sorry," he said.

Carlisle nodded and gave him a small smile. "You reminded me of him, ,to be honest. And...please don't take this the wrong way. It's just that I saw you several times. You aren't on drugs."

The boy shook his head vehemently.

"When people gave you money, you used it to eat. Not drink."

The young man's eyes flashed. "I don't need another father," he said, his words vehement and bitter. He huffed and looked down. "That's how I ended up out here in the first place. A father who thought he knew what I needed. A father who thought the best way to make me change my mind about being gay was to take everything. Everything. I'm twenty, but I was dependent on him. I was in school. If...But he took everything." His voice wavered and he huffed as though he were on the brink of tears.

Carlisle stretched his hand across the table, palm up. "I'm not ready to be anyone's father, and it'd be rather hypocritical of me to try to change your mind about being gay seeing as I haven't changed mine. I'd like to be a friend. I'd like to offer you a shower, a hot meal, a place to sleep out of the rain. We can start there, if you'd like."

The man looked up, his green eyes scared but hopeful. He touched his hand to Carlisle's briefly, then yanked it away, back onto his lap. "I...okay. I'd like that."

"Will you tell me your name now?" The man had been unwilling to when Carlisle first coaxed him into the car. As though his name was all he had left and he wasn't giving it up.

He nodded. "Edward."


	28. Jasper

**For: Linda**

 **Prompt: Reasons Why I Broke Up With...:** **She turned into a man. He is a cool dude, we still talk.**

* * *

"Hey, baby. Looking good."

Jasper shook his head, watching as Peter made his way through the bar, flirting briefly with any girl who seemed open to the idea. He raised a hand when the other man looked around, and had to smile in response to Peter's wide grin. He always had loved that grin. He got up as Peter approached.

"Heya, stud," Peter said, pulling him forward and kissing him soundly on the lips.

They were both straight, but Jasper didn't thin anything of it. It was just the way they'd always been. "Heya, sugar."

When a waitress wandered over to ask about their drinks, Peter flirted his way through that conversation too. Jasper shook his head. He was an unstoppable force-a man comfortable and confident in his own skin.

"How's Charlotte?" Jasper asked pointedly when the waitress walked away.

Peter's smile only got wider. "Amazing. That's what I came to talk to you about."

"You came to talk to me about Charlotte?"

"Yeah." Peter leaned across the table, his eyes bright. "Bless the girl and her poor taste in men. I asked her to marry me, and she said yes."

Jasper's heart gave a soft pang-an old, quiet ache he was almost able to dismiss instantly, but not quite. Once upon a time, he'd dreamed of marrying this person. "Ah, so she didn't heed my warning, huh? Poor girl." He raised his glass. "Congratulations."

"Thanks, man." Peter's look grew more serious. "Jasper, I want you to be the one to stand up for me."

Jasper nearly choked on his beer. "What?"

"It's gotta be you. I never would have been who I am without you. I know that." He took a deep breath. "And I know what it cost you. I do. Just...you're the second most important person in the world to me, man. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't even be here, alive, I mean, if it wasn't for you. You know?"

Jasper did know. After all, Jasper had known and loved Peter when he was Maria. When they were dumb ass teenagers together. When she was trying desperately to play the part of the normal teenage girl, mooning over teenage boys. She'd been a miserable little thing, and it had taken Jasper until their Sophomore year in college to figure out why.

Maria had just been born with the wrong anatomical parts, that was all. Her happiness-his happiness-was much more important that Jasper's desire to keep her forever. So he helped her, and never breathed a word about what he knew he'd lose.

He'd loved Maria. He still grieved her loss. But Peter was a happy, confident, fulfilled man with a wonderful future ahead of him. Jasper had no regrets. "Yeah, man. Of course I'll be your best man."

Again, Peter grinned. "It means a lot, Jasper. Really."

"Hey. No chick flick moments." He waved the waitress over. "This definitely calls for shots."


	29. EdwardCarlisle Pt 2

**For: Linda**

 **Prompt: "I Never knew how strong I was until I had to forgive someone who wasn't sorry, and accept an apology I never received"**

 **A/N: So, this appears to go with the previous E/C prompt...Yes, I'm aware I now have the beginning and end of what could be an interesting story. ;)**

* * *

When he found he was gay, Edward's father had gone for the ultimate cliche. First, he'd tried to beat it out of him. The same old bullshit. "No son of mine..." and all that while he striped his ass red with a belt, or tossed him around the room, or just punched him, punched him, punched him out of sheer frustration any time he did something gay. Anytime his gaze lingered on another boy or he displayed some effeminate thing. His father had ripped apart a journal he found full of flowery poetry once. He'd ripped apart and when Edward couldn't help his tears, he'd followed through on his promise to give his son something to cry about.

The last time was the worst-last times so often were. That time, his father had caught him with a boy. It was the summer between Freshman and Sophomore year of college. Edward was in his room, pinned beneath a boy. They were making out, their hips grinding against each other, hands everywhere. And then his dad had been there-furious, enraged. He'd dragged the boy off Edward, down the stairs, and out of the house. Edward had followed, yelling for his father to stop as he pulled his shirt back on. The second the door had slammed behind the boy, though, his father had turned on him, backhanding Edward across the face so hard, he'd seen stars.

And he beat him. He beat him senseless and bloody, and when it was all over, he'd dragged Edward out the door, pushed him down the four squat front steps, and told him never to come back.

That was the last time he'd seen his father-seen either of his parents-until his mother managed to track him down years later. His father was dying.

"It's time to make amends," his mother said.

Edward still wasn't sure if she meant him or his father.

The decision had been the hardest one he'd ever made. It had been years since he'd been that kid, crumpled, bleeding, and sobbing on the pavement. He'd hit rock bottom and come out of it clean on the other side. He was loved-cherished and adored by a wonderful man. He had ambition. His future looked golden. But his father was the man who'd never failed to make him feel ugly, who had hurt him-his body and his heart-over and over again. He was scared out of his mind.

He felt anything but strong.

He went, though. His boyfriend, always supportive, had said he might find closure. At the very least, he'd have no regrets. Not on his side.

"Let him take his regrets to his grave. Rest in peace is a personal decision," Carlisle told him, holding him tightly. "And I'll be there with you. I promise."

True to his word, Carlisle was holding his hand when his mother opened the door. She looked uncertain for a moment, looking between them, but she hugged Edward so tightly he could hardly breathe. "I'm sorry," she whispered in his ear.

And Edward knew that was the most he'd ever get from her.

His heart pounded as he got closer to the living room, where his father was watching TV. He stared. His father stared back. The man wasn't nearly as imposing as he had been. He was wasting away-gone gaunt and sickly. Still, Edward could hardly breathe around his fear.

His father's eyes rested on Carlisle, and he huffed. "Turned into a little fudgepacker anyway, did you, boy?"'

There was no real heat behind the words. They were mumbled under his breath, almost to himself. Edward gripped Carlisle's hand, and didn't speak right away.

His father was sick. Dying. Barely holding on to his dignity. He'd spent the last few years of his life angry that the world had given him a gay son. He had no other children. He would die with that hate and anger in his heart, and Edward would go on to live a happy, full life.

Edward took a deep breath and stepped forward, releasing Carlisle's hand to offer it to his father for a shake. "Hello, Dad. Let me introduce my boyfriend. Dr. Carlisle Cullen."

His father held his gaze for one second, then two. If he realized Edward had taken the high road-given him an out so they could enjoy whatever time they had left-he didn't acknowledge it. He took Edward's hand and shook it. "It's good to see you, son."


	30. EB XII

**For: Mina**

 **Prompt: Gif of a woman being sexy in a car**

 **Pairing: Vampward/Bella**

* * *

She looked at him like she was the predator. That was what drew Edward to her. Not that the gyration of her hips wasn't nice, but Edward was quite beyond such things.

Typically.

Edward often wandered into strip joints searching for his next meal. It wasn't so much that bad people went into those kinds of places. In his experience, people unworthy of the air they breathed could be found everywhere. However, he had a particular distaste for rapists. Or, he supposed he could say he had a particular taste for rapists. And those he did find in more abundance in places like these-places where they had even less reason to believe a woman could tell them no.

This woman had targeted him, and that caught Edward's attention. He'd let himself be lured, and now she was at his mercy though she didn't know it. The little fool. Did she not see his eyes-sinister red. Grown men five times her size had seen his eyes and pissed themselves. To look into his eyes was to see the certainty of your own death.

Yet she looked at him steadily, her own eyes dark with the promise of illicit things. She seduced and he followed. She kissed him and he thirsted. He took her by the waist and switched their positions in the blink of an eye, so she was on the chair and he standing before her. She gasped, but her grin was not startled when she looked up at him. She recovered her smile in an instant, and grinned at him-her lips whispering lascivious things without ever moving.

It was almost impertinent.

Edward was obsessed.

He kissed her, and he wasn't gentle about it. She whimpered into his mouth as his fingers climbed the inside of her thigh. Garter. Garter. Skin.

He sunk to his knees before her, narrowing his eyes when she smirked. Oh, yes. She had him on his knees.

Well, she would learn who was really in control here. Foolish girl. She had no sense of self-preservation. None at all.

Keeping his eyes on hers, he kissed the inside of her thigh, pushing her useless little skirt up. He could feel her pulse beneath his lips. His mouth filled with venom, preparing for the heat of her blood to fill his mouth. Human skin was so very thin. So very useless.

He kissed higher. And higher.

He bit.

Her taste, her blood, was ambrosia. He moaned. He sucked, keeping the venom from spreading and swallowing another incredible mouthful.

She gasped, throwing her head back, her hand tightening in his hair. He swept his tongue over the wound, closing it. Bit again. Sucked out the poison that would begin the change. Closed the wound.

"Yes," she said on a moan.

Yes?

Her heartbeat had sped up with that first bite. He could taste the fear and adrenaline in the air around her, and yet she wasn't trying to escape him. She was urging him on.

She took him under his arms and tugged. Following her direction, he kissed her. Her tongue sought his, poked at his teeth, gasped when their razor sharpness cut her tender flesh. He held her still, his arms at her shoulders. He sucked the venom out of that wound and closed it, massaging her tongue with his.

He wanted her spread out beneath him. He wanted to know if she tasted different at each of her pulse points. Behind her knees. Her wrists. He would nip her breasts just for fun and then he would spread her wide and plunge his tongue inside her. His head was full of the ways he wanted her, would have her.

He broke the kiss to let her breathe. Her hands were warm on his cheeks-could she not feel his cold, hard skin?

Again, that smirk. She laughed-the sound arrogant and unbearably wanton. "You are mine, Edward Cullen," she said.

He had just enough time to wonder how she could possibly know his name before her lips were on his again and he knew nothing at all.


	31. JasperBella II

**For: keilana1**

 **Prompt: Prompt: A red rose laying on snow.**

 **Pairing: Jasper and ? Given: Jasper/Bella**

* * *

Bella stumbled to a halt, a chill going down her spine. She tightened her arms around herself, staring down at the snow-covered path.

There was a single red rose, its petals a stark crimson against the snow. She closed her eyes, knowing he was close.

Strange how those roses had come to confuse her. By then, she believed he wouldn't hurt her. In fact, if she chose to agree to the invitation—for that was what the rose was—she would enjoy her time with him. She most often did.

Still, the rose was also a threat. It was a not-so-subtle reminder that he could always get to her, and if ever he decided to give in to his nature, she would not be able to protect herself. She was never safe from him. She would never know when he was watching and would never be able to anticipate if he chose to strike.

Bella stooped, picked up the rose, and continued walking. She hesitated, then turned, heading into the woods. It didn't matter where she entered the woods. She knew he would find her.

Jasper was a conundrum. She couldn't quite see him as a monster. He was an animal with human conscience. He was all biological imperative but with a sense of morality that weighed him down. He didn't hesitate hunting humans, but he made sure he understood the full measure of what he was taking.

To that end, when he took a human, he would get to know them first, would make himself understand whom he was taking-someone's girlfriend, someone's husband, mother, brother. Someone who had dogs at home who would never be fed or pet again. Someone with dreams that would go unfulfilled.

It was perverse, and despite his intentions, it was selfish. He was capable of killing quickly—before his victim had to know what was going on. Instead, he turned it into a terrifying ordeal—a horrible way to die.

When she recalled that first hour she spent with him, Bella always began to shake. She remembered with vivid clarity how it felt as though she had to be out of her mind. None of this could be happening. She'd been dragged deep into the woods by this creature. He didn't even need to hold her down to control her. Whenever she'd tried to run, he had merely grabbed her—he moved lightning fast—and pushed her back to the forest floor.

So she'd huddled, scared out of her mind but at a loss for what to do, and he'd started to ask her questions.

To that day, Bella had no idea why he'd spared her. Her life was ordinary. She was twenty-one, about to graduate. Nothing really had happened to her yet.

Except for him. He'd been surprised when she tossed her own questions back at him. By then, she'd understood what he was and what he intended to do to her. It seemed logical to her—she had just found out a mythological creature was real. She was curious, and it would be the last thing she learned before she died. It was inevitable—he'd proved over and over again he was inescapable—so her mind was free to wonder.

He hadn't killed her, obviously. He kept coming back. They kept talking.

Bella had befriended her would-be-murderer, a centuries old vampire. She knew how deranged that was. She knew how quickly it would end badly. Yet…

She heard a rustle of leaves and he was there. He smiled—he did have a beautiful smile—and she smiled back. He raised his hand, and she took it. She let him lead her deeper into the trees.

* * *

 **A/N: Kris is sleepy. Kris has a lot of cooking to do. Kris is at work. Grumpy Kris. HUMPH. Need coffee. *glower***


	32. EmmettBella

**For: LuvinTwilight143**

 **Prompt: Gloriana "Kissed You Good Night"**

 **Pairing: Emmett/Bella**

 **A/N: Omg, I've never written this pairing. You people with your throwing me for loops.**

* * *

The date should have been a disaster. It should have been one for the record books.

First of all, the guy wasn't Bella's type. Alice knew damn well he wasn't her type, so why she had set them up, Bella had no idea. Bella wasn't particularly fond of muscles. Emmett McCarty was huge and musclebound. He looked like he lived at the gym. She liked straight, if casually messy, hair on guys. Emmett hosted a head full of thick curls. He had a friendly smile. Brown eyes, not green.

It wasn't just physical either. Emmett was light. He was shallow—not in the insulting way. He just didn't like to get into anything in depth. Bella could and often did nitpick everything—all the books she read, shows she watched, movies she saw. Emmett was an enjoy it in the moment type of guy. He was a jock. They had nothing in common.

But…

He'd entertained her at dinner, reenacting great moments from movies that it was better not to think about.

"I'm John McClane. I'm going to throw a car at a helicopter. Why? Because, fuck you. That's why," he said, miming a car flying through the air to explode into a helicopter. He waggled his eyebrows at Bella. "That doesn't happen in real life. No one looks at a bad guy and goes, I know. A car. That's what will take this guy down. But it's bad ass to watch in a theater, huh?"

His smile was infectious. He made her laugh.

After dinner, he brought her to a basketball court. Really? Bella had hated gym when she was forced into it in high school. But he'd showed her how to do a hook shot—a shot even someone as non-athletic as Bella could pull off. The swish of the ball through the basket time and time again had been a thrill. Then, he challenged Bella to a game of one-on-one. She was aware he'd probably let her make every basket she got, but he was good at making it look like it was all her. She was little and quick, he said. She could dodge around his bulkier form. He said it was cheating.

"This is why they separate the sexes on sports teams. Girls would win every time."

Toward the end of the game, he caught her as she tried to dodge around him. She ended up engulfed by his hulking form, her back against his chest.

"You're cheating," she said between giggles, trying desperately to keep the ball away. "This has to be cheating. Unnecessary roughness or something."

"That's football," he said, his voice breathless near her ear."

Bella liked a bit of bravado, but when they got to her house, when he walked her to the door, he got a little shy. He ducked his head and rubbed the back of his neck and looked at her a little uncertainly. "So, uh…" he said.

He kissed her on the cheek and stumbled backward, awkward. "See you around."

See you around?

Despite the fact she'd thought from moment one this was a one-date kind of guy, Bella couldn't deny the disappointment she felt as she stepped inside her apartment and closed the door. She leaned up against it, conflicted and confused.

It took her only five seconds before she was moving again. She whirled, opened the door…

He was already striding back up her steps. His eyes lit when he saw her. He stepped forward, wrapped a strong arm around her waist and drew her to him, simultaneously ducking down to catch her lips as she tilted her head up.

It was a thorough kiss and an enthusiastic one. He walked her backward and pressed her up against the wall by her door. His body was hard and firm and Bella found she didn't mind it the way she thought she would. No, she didn't mind it at all.

When their kiss broke, they were both panting. Emmett licked his lips and grinned. "So this means we can forget about the 'see you around' bit, right?" he asked.

She laughed.

* * *

 **A/N: I am slightly less grumpy. Got into an argument with a coworker over cell phones. Oye**


	33. EB XIII

**For: Meg**

 **Prompt:** "You are on a hike alone deep in the woods, you come upon a clearing where a man in an immaculate tuxedo is standing alone."

 **Pairing: Bella/? Given: Bella/Edward**

 **A/N: I hope your day was wonderful**

* * *

Bella never thought she'd like running. She never thought she'd like the forest either. They were so thick around Forks—a pointless kind of forest since it seemed like no one could possibly get anywhere in it.

She'd found a path through the trees. She'd started walking and, over the course of some months, ended up running. The trail was a five mile loop.

When she went around a familiar bend she came upon an unfamiliar sight. It took her a minute to figure out what she was seeing. When she did, she laughed.

Her boyfriend stood in the path in a crisp blue suit. Bella let out a squeak when she saw what was beside him. Where the hell he'd gotten a TARDIS door, she had no idea. "What are you doing?" she asked, breathless with surprise and pleasure.

"Making your long-standing, incredibly geeky fantasy come true," Edward said in a surprisingly good British accent. He knocked on the door of the TARDIS. "Care to come away with me in my fancy time machine?"

Bella laughed again.

On their first date, in a rush of awkward nerves, Bella had admitted to Edward that she'd had a recurring daydream that The Doctor, of Doctor Who fame, would pop up, as he did, out of nowhere and change her life.

Well, this was definitely out of nowhere.

Edward knocked on the TARDIS door again. "It's bigger on the inside," he said, tempting her.

It was all the more touching and intriguing because Edward thought Doctor Who was silly. "What are we doing?" Bella said, still uncertain as to what was going on. "I'm sweaty."

"You barely began your run. Besides, are you going to let a little sweat get in the way of an adventure?"

"What kind of adventure?"

He opened the TARDIS door—slid aside the cardboard—and gestured.

Bella gasped. The door perfectly framed another path. One she had somehow missed all this time. He offered his hand to her. "I told you it was bigger on the inside."

He led her through the "door" and down a short, narrow path through the trees. Bella gasped again when they emerged in a beautiful meadow.

"Space and time travel is a little beyond me right now—the ship is down for repairs, you know—but how about a picnic?" He gestured to where, indeed, there was a picnic laid out. Sandwiches and sodas and noodle salad.

"Why did you do this?" she asked, still shocked—pleased but shocked.

Edward took her hand and drew her close. He cupped her cheek and kissed her. "Do I need a reason to make you smile like that?"

As intense as he could be, Edward didn't often make grand gestures. When he did, though, he knocked them out of the park.

* * *

 **A/N: Let's see if I can knock out a couple of sweet prompts before midnight, hmm?**


	34. EdwardCarlisle II

**For: Domie**

 **Prompt: Two guys in suits on a bench, making out. One guy on the other guy's lap.**

 **Pairing: Edward/Carlisle**

* * *

Being a high-powered businessman sucked. Oh, it was good money. Plenty of prestige. Being surrounded by rich and powerful people. Parties. Free airline travel.

Edward wasn't a fan. He hated traveling so much—the endless parade of conferences and meetings and dinners in restaurants some of his peons couldn't afford to buy a beverage in—not his department; he had almost no control over salary. He was good at what he did, and he couldn't think of anything better. It was that simple.

There was a perk to the endless line of conferences and meetings. Wherever he went, the competing company often sent their top guy too. Carlisle Cullen. Christ, what a perk. They'd happened to sit next to each other at the bar at one of the conferences. Edward didn't even remember what city they were in, and it didn't matter. They all blurred together. What mattered was that this walking, talking, fantasy guy sat next to him. They struck up a conversation, and next thing Edward knew, he was trying to follow at a discreet distance as Carlisle led the way to his room.

That had been three years ago. They managed to run into each other at least every three months, frequenting the same circuit. The sex was amazing, but Edward couldn't say it was only about the sex. Actually, though he wouldn't admit it to anyone, he liked the part after the sex.  
Often, they lay in the quiet darkness—Edward on his back and Carlisle propped on an elbow. Carlisle was a great listener. Carlisle would trace patterns along Edward's belly, and he would run his hand through Carlisle's soft blond hair as they talked about anything and everything.

They were out to lunch one day with colleagues, when Carlisle said something particularly clever. Without thinking, Edward tilted his head and kissed Carlisle, bringing the conversation at the table to an uncomfortable halt.

Horrified, Edward pulled back and stared at Carlisle in wide-eyed horror. "I'm sorry. I…"

Having no idea what to say, Edward pushed back from the table and hurried away. Let Carlisle make whatever excuses he needed to.

He wasn't entirely surprised when he heard Carlisle call his name. Still, he didn't slow down until they were outside. "I'm sorry," he said, not looking up as Carlisle came up beside him. "I don't know what came over me. I hope you blamed it all on me, I just—"

"Edward."

Edward swallowed hard and looked up. Carlisle's head was tilted. He looked concerned, not angry. "Why are you so upset?" Carlisle asked.

"What?" Edward furrowed his brow. "I mean…that didn't…are you…" He huffed and tried again. "You don't mind?"

Carlisle's lips quirked up at one corner. "What, in the years we've known each other, would ever give you the idea I would mind a kiss from you?"

"In front of everyone?"

Carlisle chuckled. "Is that it? You don't think I'm out? Or is it that you think I would be ashamed that someone like you wants to kiss me. I can assure you, quite the opposite is true. The last thing I am is ashamed." He reached out, touching his hand to Edward's waist lightly. "Are you out?"

"I…yes." Edward felt a bit woolly-headed from the sudden turn of events.

"Good." With that, Carlisle pulled Edward toward him for a much more thorough kiss. He didn't even let go when he heard a huff of disgust from a passing patron.

When he broke the kiss, Carlisle didn't let him get far. Instead, he sat down on the bench behind them and pulled Edward down on his lap. He gathered him close, stroking his cheek and tilting so their foreheads touched. "Don't you know by now? I always want to touch you." He leaned in, pressing a soft, sweet kiss to Edward's lips. "I always want to kiss you, and I want everyone to know it. I want everyone to see…"

Edward raised a hand to brush Carlisle's cheek, his heart pounding hard against his chest. "See what?"

Carlisle raised his eyes to look into Edward's. "That you're mine. That's what I want. For you to be mine."

It made no sense. They didn't even live in the same city. Until five minutes ago, they'd never discussed what they were outside of time they spent together in one of their hotel rooms. It was ridiculous.

It didn't matter. Edward kissed Carlisle and kissed him and kissed him. "I am yours."


	35. EB XIV

**For: Alex**

 **Prompt: Story about a couple who were friends in junior high. The girl bet the guy $20 they would get married when they grew up. The guy gave the girl $20 on their wedding night.**

 **Pairing: Edward/Bella**

* * *

Bella wasn't aware she was awake at first. She was in that hazy space, where awareness wasn't really tangible. She shivered-a thrill going down her spine in response to a sensation along her arm. She shifted, half-pulling away from it, wanting to follow her sluggish thoughts back to sleep. Warmth spread along her back as she was enveloped by a presence. The sensation moved to her ear. It traced along the shell and tucked her hair back.

"Edward," Bella mumbled, her subconscious making the connection before she was even awake.

"Yes, love." His voice was a rumble near her ear. "I'm here."

She opened her eyes. The room was still dark, but conscious thought was coming back to her then. Edward-the love of her life who'd been on a three month assignment in Paris. She'd visited him once and he'd come home twice, but he wasn't scheduled to be back for another week.

With a small cry, she rolled over onto her back. He really was there. She struggled to cast the blankets off so she could wrap herself around him. "What are you doing here?" she asked, breathless and happy.

"I couldn't be away from you any longer," he said, rolling over her. His hand snaked down along her though and hooked behind her knee. He pulled her leg up, hitching it around his waist. "I worked my ass off this last month to get everything done ahead of time. I just missed you, Bella."

He kissed her then. Bella moaned into his mouth, taking his face in her hands. Edward was such a good kisser. That was how they'd had their first kiss. They'd been friends forever. It was Freshman year of high school and Bella had been devastated to find out she sucked at kissing. She'd asked him for pointers, which really was cheating on her part. She'd had a crush on him since they were in middle school.

She giggled, and he pulled back, smiling. "Are you laughing at me?" he asked and kissed the tip of her nose.

"No." She stroked his scruffy cheek, so happy to have him home. "Just remembering how I duped you into that first kiss."

"Ha." He shifted so could tickle her belly lightly as he spoke. "You didn't dup me. You were a fucking terrible kisser. You needed my help."

She smacked his arm. "Shut up, Edward."

"Don't worry, sweetheart. You got better." He leaned in, nipping at her lips. "In fact, you drive me crazy with your kisses."

They kissed again, but before Bella's hands could find their way between his legs-she wanted him inside her, his skin against hers-he pulled back again. "I have something for you," he said between pants.

She frowned. "I'm sure you do. You love to spoil me, but I'd rather have sex."

He groaned. "Believe me. Sex is on the agenda. But there's one thing I need you to have first." He furrowed his brow. "I think it'll make the sex better. I hope it will."

Bella sighed, but she sat up, watching him as he retreated to fish in his bag. "If this is a snowglobe, I'm going to be pissed."

He put a small, square box on her lap. It could have fit a snowglobe-one of those legit ones that were made of glass and ceramics. She eyed him dubiously. He grinned back. "Just open it."

It was filled with crumpled papers, but what drew her eye first was a twenty dollar bill. She picked it up and found it was attached to a box.

A ring box.

She gasped, her head snapping up to meet his eyes. He took her hand, and her heart sped. He took the box for her and opened it, revealing the most gorgeous diamond ring Bella had ever seen. "Marry me, Bella," he said.

Bella's mouth ran off before she could wrap her head around what was happening. "Are you bribing me to marry you? With twenty bucks?" Her voice squeaked at the end. She was just confused. And elated. And in love. But confused.

He chuckled. "The twenty is only yours if you say yes."

"You are bribing me?"

"No!" He reached into the box and took out a handful of the papers. "Do you know what these are?"

"No."

"All the notes we passed when we were kids."

Tears sprung to her eyes. "You kept them?"

"Yeah." He put one of them in her palm. "Remember this one?"

Bella skimmed the note. She didn't remember it-not really, but it must have been from middle school.

Edward: My mom said she thinks we're going to get married one day. Isn't that weird?  
Bella: Naw. Makes sense to me. No one else is dumb enough to marry you. When you're old and decrepit, you'll convince me to marry you, and I will because I'll feel sorry for you.  
Edward: Don't bet on it, Swan.  
Bella: I do bet. $20

"See?" Edward said when she looked up. "If you say yes, you win."

"Yes," she said gleefully, throwing her arms around his neck. She giggled again, a giggle of joy. "But only because I need twenty bucks," she said against his lips.

* * *

 **A/N: Okay, okay. I have a paper to write (yes, on Christmas. SIGH!). Catch y'all tomorrow.**


	36. JasperBella III

**For: Carla**

 **Prompt: High school. Not everything is perfect.**

 **Pairing: Jasper/Bella.**

* * *

When Jasper pulled up, Bella was sitting on the step of her porch. It was freezing out, and Bella wasn't a huge fan of the cold. Something was wrong.

Something was always wrong.

She was holding a cigarette in one hand. It was lit, but she wasn't smoking it. She was just holding it aloft, the smoke curling into the chilly air. Her free arm was wrapped around her knees. She didn't look up when he arrived. She was looking down, not really seeing anything.

Jasper took a deep breath and got out of the car. The source of her troubles was obvious almost as soon as he approached. He could hear screaming inside the house. He flinched when he heard breaking glass. Her parents were fighting. Again. He sat beside her wordlessly and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"Mom's leaving," she said, her voice sounding tired and worn. "Really this time. For good. She's got papers." Her voice shook. "She's going to Arizona."

Jasper tightened his arm around her and kissed the top of her hair. He didn't know what to say, so he started to sing. She loved it when he sang. He pressed his lips against her ear, singing the words low and soft.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours first  
Let's compare scars, I'll tell you whose is worse  
Let's unwrite these pages and replace them with our own words  
We live on front porches and swing life away,  
We get by just fine here on minimum wage  
If love is a labor I'll slave till the end,  
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand  
I've been here so long, I think that it's time to move  
The winter's so cold, summer's over too soon  
Let's pack our bags and settle down where palm trees grow"

She'd started to cry at some point during his song. She turned her head and burried her face in his neck. He rocked her gently and kissed her hair again. She sniffled, getting control of herself. "Ah. Fuck, it's cold," she said with a small laugh.

"Well, yeah." He paused. "Wanna come to my place?"

She laughed, the sound bitter. His mom hated her.

"One more year, baby," he said, sighing.

One more year before they could run together. Away to a college in the California sunshine.


	37. EB XV

**For: Mina**

 **Prompt: That cute video where the Santa knows sign language**

 **Pairing: Edward/Bella**

* * *

Edward had to try very hard not to tap his foot as he waited in line. He had a love/hate relationship with things like this. On the one hand, he wanted what any parent wanted-for his baby to have all the experiences any other child did. On the other hand, he couldn't deny his child had limitations. As much as he didn't want to limit her, he knew this experience wasn't going to be the same for Hope as it was for most of the rest of the children.

His Hope was deaf. She wouldn't be able to have a conversation with Santa about what she wanted for Christmas.

Still, Hope was in good spirits as they progressed in line. She bounced in place and tapped him constantly to get his attention. She signed her questions in the usual flurry of a three-year-old child just quieter. He did his best to answer her creative queries, making up stories about the reindeer being missing because they were out doing advanced training maneuvers.

Finally, it was their turn. Edward said an internal prayer that they could get through this with the minimum amount of awkwardness and stepped forward.

"Ho, ho, ho. Who have we here? What's your name, little one?" Santa said.

Hope paid him no mind, used to the fact she couldn't speak to most people. She clambered onto his lap and looked for the person with the camera.

Santa looked to Edward who smiled. "My daughter, Hope, is deaf," he said. "She-"

But before he could explain that he'd helped her write out her list, Santa grinned. "Can she sign?"

"Yes, of course."

"No problem." Santa tapped on Hope's arm, getting her attention. She looked up, all grins, and to Edward's surprise, Santa started signing.

Hope's eyes went wide with pleasure. She started signing enthusiastically back. Edward felt tears prick at his eyes. His little girl got to tell Santa with her own hands what she wanted, just like any other girl.

He was surprised again when Hope pointed at him and signed something at Santa Edward didn't catch. Santa threw his head back.

"I'll see what I can do," Santa signed. Then he beckoned to one of the nearby elves-a pretty young woman about college aged. Rather than speak to the woman, he signed something. She seemed taken aback and signed a response.

Edward made it a point not to eavesdrop on others' conversations, but he couldn't help but pick up something the woman signed. "You are embarrassing!" She looked toward him and blushed furiously.

"Sorry about that," she signed to Edward as he stepped off to the side to where the photos would come up. "He's my dad, and he's trying to set us up."

"What?" Edward said out loud, taken aback.

Hope barreled into him just then, her grin happy. She lifted her arms, and Edward pulled her up so she could look at the photos they'd taken. All the while, he cast glances at the pretty elf. She was deaf too, he realized. And good with his daughter. Hope giggled at something she signed.

"Baby, what did you ask Santa for?" he asked Hope when they were walking away.

She shrugged, smiled winningly, and signed that she was thirsty and could they have a Jamba. Edward agreed, and as they sipped, he considered.

It was somewhat surreal to have Santa try to set him up with his daughter. It should have been creepy, but it made an odd sort of sense. After all, Edward knew what it was like to worry about the future of his deaf daughter. As he learned more of sign language, he was understanding more and more that deaf culture didn't beat around the bush. They were direct and blunt.

Whatever Hope had told Santa, he must have gotten the picture that Edward was a single father. A single father with a deaf daughter-in a unique position to have a connection with his own daughter.

It did make sense.

As they left Jamba Juice, Edward arced back in the direction of Santa's Village. There was no harm in seeing if Pretty Elf was interested, after all.

* * *

 **A/N: A note about tidbits-if I haven't gotten to yours, don't worry. I will.**


	38. EdwardRosalie

For: Twiolic

Prompt: Uh oh! I've met my brother's (or son's) new bride before.

Pairing: Edward/Rosalie

* * *

Everyone has that person, or persons, with whom they act different. I knew a guy who was a rude prick, but with his girlfriend's parents, he was kindness and chivalry itself.

Myself, I'm a nice guy. Polite. Respectful. I consider myself a feminist. I don't believe in the friend-zone. If I score a woman's phone number, I don't think there's any shame in calling her the next day. Etc. Etc. Etc.

When I was with my brother, I was a different person; one I wasn't necessarily proud of. Emmett could be a real dude-bro, and with him, I wasn't much better. The way we talked about women didn't approach anything even resembling respect.

The problem was, I didn't get to see my big brother very often. We lived across the country from each other, and Emmett sucked at talking over Skype or on the phone. We texted fairly often, but the limited time we were together, it was a go with the flow kind of time.

All of this was important to know for several reasons. The first is, understanding our relationship, you might understand how it came to be that I had never met his girlfriend of a year, a woman he was marrying. The fact my brother was one of the two or three people left in the world not on social media explained why I had never even seen a picture. He'd sent one to Mom, and she'd gone into detail about how beautiful his girl-Rosalie-was. Really, I didn't care what his girlfriend looked like. I didn't expect her to last. None of them did.

As you might imagine, I was surprised when he told me he needed me to get my ass on a plane-he was marrying this girl. It all happened pretty fast. He called and by that weekend, Mom, Dad, and I were on a plane, headed for New York.

Mom was right-Emmett's girl was extraordinarily beautiful. And I'd been wrong. I had seen her before.

I'd seen a little too much of her before.

I wasn't a stranger to casual sex. If I hit it off with a lady and neither of us were interested in pursuing anything long term, sex made for a good hello and goodbye. I didn't hit it off with a lot of people, so it wasn't an all the time kind of thing, but it certainly wasn't unheard of.

Rosalie stood out, mostly because I hadn't hit it off with her. Up until the moment I kissed her, I thought she was the most rude, arrogant, self-centered person I'd ever met. I was playing wing man for a friend and trying to see a conversation through for his sake. She drove me too crazy. I said something under my breath-not mean or anything, but sarcastic. I tried to walk away before she goaded me into saying something right to her antagonistic face.

She followed after me, all ticked off because I'd called her on her bullshit-even if it was something I clearly hadn't meant to say out loud. My mother taught me the wise words of Thumper, after all. So Rosalie was right on my heels, bitching me out. She followed me down the hallway of the bar we were at, and I wouldn't have put it past her to follow me into the bathroom. I whirled around, grabbed her, pressed her up against the wall and kissed her quite fucking thoroughly.

Yeah, I was as surprised as she was. I'd never done anything like that before in my life. Why would I? Who the hell wanted to make a habit of kissing people who clearly didn't want to kiss them?

But she did want to kiss me. Or anyway, as soon as I broke the kiss-before I could apologize-she lunged at me, pressed me up against the opposite wall, and kissed me. Hard.

Sex happened. Hard. Fast. Mind-shattering orgasm sex. We weren't gentle. There was no cuddling. My back was a mess of scratches. I'm pretty sure she had a bruise or two-not because of any kind of violence, of course, just the kind of bruised that happened when one engaged me in throw me down, ride me hard, and put me be away wet type sex.

And that was fine. Both parties consented quite vocally. Neither of us pretended we wanted it to happen again. I knew her name was Rosalie, but I never got her last name-things just happened to quickly and when we were done, we were done.

The version of that story I told my brother, though, was detailed. That wasn't a lie. What was a lie was the way I talked about Rosalie.

"This bitch loved cock. Everywhere and anywhere. She was begging for it."

Enough that I felt guilty when I shook her hand in greeting when we came face to face. She remembered me, and she didn't seem pleased either.

Here was the other thing-that night with me, if I was getting the timeline right, was after she'd already been with Emmett.

So there was a moral quandary. I should have let him know she was a cheater-which wasn't necessarily true, because who knew if they'd been exclusive at that point. But letting him know would also mean he would annihilate me, not only for what I did to his soon-to-be wife, but for the things I'd said about her.

Yeah. This could get...interesting.


	39. EdwardTanya

For: Twiolic

Prompt: Christmas in the cemetery.

Pairing: Edward/Tanya

* * *

There are always people in the cemetery on Christmas. It made sense-who wouldn't want to celebrate Christmas with their whole family-but it was sad.

As for Edward, he didn't really have anywhere else to go.

There was a family nearby. They were happy, which always made him smile. He was glad the children could play, and they could all share happy stories as if their loved one was sitting there with them still. It made his heart warm to watch them.

When they piled into their cars and drove away, Edward was surprised to see someone left behind. He cast surreptitious glances at her, and soon realized she was sitting between two graves near where the family had been. She'd never been part of them.

She caught him staring and scooted over so they were only two graves apart. "I thought you were with them.

He smiled. "That's what I thought about you." He shook his head, casting his gaze down to the graves in front of him. "I'm alone," he said with a small sigh.

"Who are you visiting. If you don't mind me asking."

He pointed with his chin. "My parents."

"Both of them?" She peered and her eyebrows shot up. "They died on the same day."

"Yeah. Drunk driver." He tilted his head, looking down at them. "It was a blessing, in a way, that they died together. If it had to be like that, I mean. If one of them had to die, I'm glad they went together. I can't imagine one of them without the other. They had that kind of marriage. I mean, obviously, I'd rather have them here with me. I'd rather they hadn't died, especially not like that, but if it was fate."

"You don't have to explain to me. I understand what you're trying to say." She smiled, a teasing smile. "I'm picking up what you're putting down."

Edward smiled back, relieved for the awkward lightness of the moment. "Who are you visiting."

She swept her hand wide over the graves. "My sisters."

Edward peeked, and he was shocked. "They died together too."

"Yep." Her lips tugged down at the corners. "They were the drunk drivers in this case. But they managed to take out only themselves, so there's that."

"I'm sorry."

"Are you? I mean, given that someone like them took your parents."

"I'm not saying they didn't do a horrible thing. But I've done horrible things. I've never paid for any of them with my life or anyone else's life, but I'm human. And I'm sorry you lost your sisters."

"Yeah," she said, She shuddered, as though shaking that off. "So you headed off to Christmas dinner soon?"

"No." Edward tugged at a weed absently. "It was just them and me. And now, it's just me."

"Oh." She paused. "Me too," she said after a moment.

"Your parents?" he asked.

"No dad. After Katrina and Irina died, Mom moved back to Alaska. That's where I'm from. I couldn't make it out there for Christmas this year."

"Oh."

Another pause.

"Do you maybe want to, I don't know, hit a Denny's?" Edward asked.

Was it a weird thing to ask when they were in a cemetery?

She smiled. "That would be nice."

* * *

 **A/N: Just a gentle reminder that none of these are beta'ed. I finish them and slap them up either on my Facebook group or here instantly. Lol, I caught a few glaring errors in the last one.**


	40. EdwardJasper II

**For: deenerneener**

 **Prompt: She gave me a list of words: smolder, combustion, pain, redemption, wit**

 **Pairing: Edward/Jasper**

* * *

"Hey, um. It's me. You know. Your son. Looks like I missed you again." Jasper laughed. The sound was raw and sad and filled with anything but humor. "Maybe next time. Forty-second time's the charm, right?" He cleared his throat. "Anyway, you know my number, I think, but I'm going to leave it like I always do. I love you. I miss you. I just...I want to fix things. I-"

He sighed and closed his eyes. "Bye," he said and disconnected the call. He hung his head, rubbing a hand over his eyes.

Watching him, Edward's heart broke for the forty-first time. He waited-Jasper's moods were often volatile whenever he tried contacting his family. Sometimes he needed to be alone.

Today, Jasper looked only tired. Defeated and bowed. Edward pushed to his feet. He knelt on the bed and crawled across. He wrapped arm around Jasper from behind. His boyfriend ducked his head, curling into Edward's embrace. He shook.

"I can't blame them, you know?" he said, his voice raw with emotion. "Not after everything I put them through. I did such fucked up things to them, Edward. I ruined so much of their lives, of course they hate me. Of course they do."

Edward said nothing. It was true, after all. Responsibility and consequence were not things that could be escaped in the long run. Jasper had been a drug addict. There came a point, even with family, when the things said and done under the influence couldn't be forgiven. Being a recovering addict himself, Edward understood that.

It didn't mean that Jasper's family's rejection wasn't painful. Devastating. It didn't mean Edward couldn't hate them for the way they were tearing the love of his life apart. Jasper had, in the end, overcome addiction. He was two years sober-a man who worked hard for everything he had, everything they had together. He was a wonderful, giving boyfriend. He was the man his parents had always wanted him to be, and now they didn't want him at all.

Edward pulled Jasper's robe down off his shoulder and kissed him there. "Lay down," he said. "On your belly."

"What are you doing?" Jasper asked, but he obeyed. He didn't fight when Edward took his robe off completely.

"If I have to make a big, flowery, emotional speech, I'd rather do it while looking at this sweet ass of yours," Edward said, getting a firm grip on one cheek.

Jasper laughed. The sound was still dead and tired. "You don't need to make an emotional speech."

"No, you're right. I don't need to." Edward settled on his belly and kissed Jasper's ass cheek. He kissed the other and then the small of his back. "But still, there are some things I don't tell you enough."

As he spoke, he peppered tender kisses along Jasper's skin. He enumerated all his amazing qualities-his musical talent, his empathy, the way he saw the world and the people in it. Jasper had such a capacity for emotion. He cried at abandoned dog commercials and videos of troops surprising their children. He always had a spare dollar for a homeless person, even during those months when he and Edward had only four dollars left after paying all their bills.

"And you saved me, Jasper Whitlock," Edward said when he had reached Jasper's neck. He pressed a long kiss there, nipping a bit. "You took one look at me, worthless as I was to everyone at that point, and you saw something more. I was so close to ending it that night. So close, and you saved me. Every day I have, every day we have together, is because of you. I'm happy. You make me happy."

Jasper pushed up and turned so they were both on their sides. He cupped Edward's cheek, stroking his thumb across his cheekbone. "I'm happy with you. You know that, right? My life is good and full."

Edward smiled. "I know." He stroked his hand down Jasper's back and cupped his ass again. "Who the hell told you you could turn over, hmm? You got a flowery speech out of me, and now I want a piece of this."

Jasper laughed. This time, it was genuine. His eyes still retained some sadness, but there was a spark of mischief and adoration there too. "I love you, Edward."

"Not as much as I love you."

* * *

 **A/N: Think this might be the last one today. I'm going to spend some time in a cemetery with my grandparents and my sister for my mom's sake. Maybe I'll hand write a few more. We'll see. Much love to you all.**


	41. EdwardJasper III

**For: ?**

 **Prompt: I did the wrong prompt, lol. So this is just a freebie**

 **Pairing: Edward/Jasper**

* * *

Jasper had made him believe they could have a life together.

Edward knew he was unnatural. He knew he had proclivities that could get him arrested or beaten if anyone knew about them. He knew he was most assuredly going to hell for what he was. His attraction toward men made him an abomination. He understood this.

Jasper had been the only person in his life to ever make him feel beautiful. He wasn't repulsed by Edward's desires. That would have been hypocritical seeing that he shared them. He also didn't think they were wrong.

"How could this be wrong?" he'd whispered in Edward's ear as they held each other in the darkness. "Does this feel wrong?" He'd wrapped his arms around Edward, holding him against his bare chest and kissing along his cheek.

Edward sighed. "No."

"Or this?" Jasper had let his fingertips trail down Edward's chest, tickled the skin of his belly.

Edward laughed. "No."

"No," Jasper agreed.

In the darkness, it was easier to believe. Still, Edward knew the sun would come up eventually. They could never be together in the sunlight. How could that be right. "How…" he'd started, but he'd been overwhelmed before he could continue.

Jasper traced the line of Edward's face with gentle strokes. "I'll take care of you, Edward," he promised.

But then the great war had happened, and Jasper had to fight. Edward went with him to the train station. He wasn't able to cling to Jasper like so many of the wives and sweethearts all around them. They'd clung to each other as long as possible the night before, but they couldn't now.

Jasper, looking so smart in his uniform, put his bag at his feet and offered Edward his hand. They shook, both clutching too tightly. The look in Jasper's eyes was intense and full of love. "Everything is going to be okay," he said.

It wasn't. He came home in a box. No one could know what Edward had lost. He'd been seventeen.

He was twenty-one now. His life was happy as these things went. He had friends, most of whom teased him about his affirmed bachelorhood. He went on the occasional date to assuage them and his parents. He was educated. He had prospects.

He was lonely.

Often, in his free time, he went to the train station and sat. He sat and remembered how he'd done the same thing after Jasper got on that train. He'd sat right there and wished, when the next train pulled in, that Jasper would be getting out of it.

Now, he watched people get off the train, hurrying into the arms of loved ones. Today, emotion got the better of him. His shoulders hunched, he slumped, and buried his head in his hands.

"Are you all right?"

Edward raised his head and was instantly struck by the sight in front of him. A man perhaps a decade his senior with kind eyes, a handsome face, and blond hair. Edward felt a stirring deep within him and looked down quickly. "Yes, I'm sorry. I'm afraid I lost myself for a moment."

"There's nothing to be sorry about."

There was something in the way the man was looking at him that sent a shiver down Edward's spine. Like he knew that Edward was thinking about the definition of his shoulders and the way his pants hugged his-

"I was thinking a cup of coffee sounded good about now," the man said. "Maybe you'd like to join me?"

There was something cautious about his tone. Cautious and yet…

Edward's throat went dry. He suddenly had the feeling they were on the same page. Perhaps this man was someone who could understand about Jasper. Maybe…

Well.

"Coffee does sound like a good idea," he said and stood to follow the man.


	42. EB XVI

**For: Nan**

 **Prompt: "She can uncover your darkest fear and make you forget you feel it. But wait, just one minute more, I can see that she's trying to free me." (From "Can't Change Me" by Chris Cornell)**

 **Pairing: Edward/Bella**

* * *

He hated to be touched because of what the bastard did to him. But of course, because he hadn't been destroyed enough, the asshole made sure Edward couldn't have agency even after he was out of his clutches. No. Edward had to be touched, because there was still a lot he couldn't do for himself.

His home-care nurse was a very gentle woman. She was kind with a sarcastic streak. Edward liked her as much as he liked anyone these days. At least, he thought he liked her. It was tough to find room in his head to process things like opinions.

At first, he tried to regard her like she was simply a fact of life-something he had to deal with, like the need to eat though he wasn't hungry and the need to bathe even though he was too tired to undress. He didn't acknowledge her more than to follow her directions. He didn't answer her questions. He didn't look at her.

To her credit, she learned quickly. She figured out what made him flinch. Unlike many of his friends, she had yet to send him into a panic. She didn't get mad when he turned her out.

The one thing she kept on doing was conversing with him. She spoke with him much as he'd seen his mother do with his baby sister when he was a teenager. She spoke to him as though she were hearing his side of the conversation.

"What did you get up to today?" She would pause-she was usually doing things like taking his temperature, his blood pressure. "Looks like you had a Firefly marathon. That's great. I'm still ticked off about Wash. Makes it hard to watch the series, you know? Like, great idea, Joss. Who the fuck greenlit that?'

Edward didn't know what changed. One day he was trying his best to forget she existed even when she had her hands on him, the next day he answered.

"What did you get up to today?"

"Supernatural."

She looked up in surprise only briefly before returning her eyes to her work. "Love that show, man."

"You have a thing." He swallowed. His head was kind of buzzing-a low grade fear roiling through his blood, second guessing his every word. As though she might get upset that he'd been watching her close enough to see the dangly thing attached to her backpack. He pointed at it. It was in plain sight after all. "A Bobby."

"Well, hell yes, I have a Bobby. Bobby is badass."

After that, they discussed theories. Conversation was disjointed-his thoughts were thick and sluggish on his best days-but it was nice. Fun, even.

Edward came to realize that he looked forward to talking to the nurse-Bella. It wasn't like his family and friends, all of whom walked on eggshells and who all had pity in their eyes. No, she talked to him as though he were a real human being, and he supposed he returned the favor.

And again, one not so special day, he realized he was looking forward to her visit. That and it made him sad that he was getting well enough that soon he wouldn't need her help.

He realized, somewhere along the line, he'd found room in his head for more than fear, anger, and the ever-present lethargy. He still couldn't think clearly. He still struggled to find enough words to string together one sentence. But when Bella walked in one day, he smiled automatically, and he figured she was worth the effort of finding the right words to ask her to stay in his life.


	43. JasperBella IV

**For: Linda**

 **Prompt: Spring 1 - Recomposed by Max Richter**

 **Pairing: Jasper/Bella**

* * *

They met in the Spring.

Jasper, nineteen, had been helping his daddy with the family business for almost six years by that time. He knew the ins and outs of it. That day was just like hundreds of others. A well-to-do family had moved out to their area of the country. They needed livestock. His daddy made the deal, and Jasper and his brothers helped deliver the load.

Perched atop his own horse, Jasper road at the side of the six fine stallions that would be the beginning of the Swan's stable. He road them around the paddock, letting them stretch before he led them to their stalls. He worked with the stable man, talking over the temperament of each horse-which of them would be best to pull the carriage or for the master of the house to ride.

As they spoke, Jasper caught a movement out of the corner of his eyes. He half turned to see a girl sneak in. He could tell she was sneaking. She darted quick looks over her shoulder. But she went to the stall of the first horse and peered in, her face hidden by her bonnet.

Pretty little thing, he thought in some corner of his mind.

When she turned, she stopped short, startled to find him looking at her, and Jasper was struck.

Pretty. No. This girl was beautiful.

The sound of her mother's voice calling drew her away, but not before she glanced at him again with a small smile.

The stable boy he'd been talking to snorted. "Don't even think it, lad. Charles Swan is a level headed bloke, but don't think he wouldn't box your ears if he caught you looking at his only daughter like that."

Jasper raised an eyebrow. "You got an active imagination, you know that?"

The stable boy only snorted.  
~0~  
It was hardly Jasper's fault that Bella's father hired him to teach her to ride. It was not his fault that she was smart and sassy and easy to talk to. So he had eyes, and she was pleasing to look on. So he had ears, and she had a great laugh. So she had a sense of adventure and teased him into racing their horses across the field and he couldn't get the image out of his head-the way her bonnet flew off and her hair whipped wildly in the wind.

By the end of summer they were in love. In fall, when she turned seventeen, he summoned up the courage to ask her father for permission to court her.


	44. EB XVII

**For: Robin**

 **Prompt: Farscape - otherworldly Bella and hapless Edward**

 **Pairing: Edward/Bella**

* * *

"You are too careless."

Edward tilted his head back against the rock and closed his eyes, laughing wryly. His laughter was cut off with a moan of pain he couldn't contain.

"I'm sorry," Bella said, sounding genuinely guilty. "I can draw the poison out, but that means I cannot dull the pain."

"Guess that theory that my blood might be different didn't pan out," he said and hissed through his teeth, determined not to shout."

She sighed. "You are useless in a fight, Edward Clan Cullen."

Edward snorted. It still made him laugh every time she said his name like that. "I have other winning qualities. I'm charming."

She raised her head briefly, her brow wrinkling in confusion. "What is this charm you speak of?"

"Magnetism, I guess." Edward breathed in through his nose. "I know how to show a girl a good time, for example."

"This is not a good time. What good time would you show? We cannot have a good time if your life is constantly in danger."

"Oh my planet, we have time for charming things." Now it was Edward's turn to wrinkle his brow. "I suppose our lives are always in danger too, but it's not the same kind of danger. Not the things chasing you, trying to kill you all the time kind of danger. On my planet, I was confident, and sexy, and a bunch of other things girls like."

"On your planet, life was about what girls like?"

He laughed. "Ah, no. I just said that was what I was good at, I think."

"And the point was to 'get' these girls?"

"You make it sound so romantic."

She only grunted. After a moment, he turned his head to look at her, to find she looked displeased. "Are you angry?" he asked.

To his surprise, she shouted her next words. "Your planet is insane." Finishing her work on him she sat back on her haunches and pushed to her feet. She ran a hand through her hair. "This is insane."

"What's insane?"

"Attachment." She began to pace. "The things you say about your planet. Attachment is key. It's normal. I don't see how." She shook her head. "This is painful."

"What's painful?" Edward had never felt so lost in his life.

"This!" She stared at him, conflict heavy in her eyes. "We do not have things here that we cannot stand to lose."

They stared at each other for one heavy moment, before Bella ducked her head and sighed. "Stay here. I'll find us something to eat."

She was gone before he could protest, leaving Edward to stare after her.


	45. EB XVIII

**For: Anon Shahula**

 **Prompt: Hot, tattooed cop Edward standing in line in front of awkward, nerdy Bella :)**

 **Pairing: Edward/Bella**

* * *

It was early. Hecka early.

Bella already knew she was going to tip the Starbucks baristas bookoo bucks for being up this early and serving people with their neurotic coffee orders. Bella thought if she had to smile and nod at the customer who ordered, "Trente passion tea with three pumps of classic syrup, sub apple juice instead of water," she might murder someone.

Her own order was simple. Venti coffee, two pumps hazelnut.

Shuffling forward, Bella craned her neck to people watch a bit. She wondered if there was anyone bright eyed and bushy tailed this early in the morning. Then she entertained herself thinking about which of the other patrons might be hiding a big, bushy tail in their pants.

Her eye was caught by a movement. The guy behind her stretched and then scratched at his neck. When he pulled down the collar of his shirt, she thought she caught a glimpse of tattooed skin. Specifically-

"No way. Is that a Star Wars tattoo?"

No sooner were the words out of her mouth then Bella froze.

It wasn't so much that she'd asked the question. It was that her sleep-addled brain was working a few seconds behind. As a result, it hadn't stopped her from yanking at the total stranger's collar to expose his ink.

Bella giggled nervously and drew her hand back. Then she groaned as she took in what was on his dark blue shirt. He was a cop. "I'm sorry, sir. I mean officer. I mean sir," she stumbled, her voice jittery with nerves. "I-"

Again, she was startled into silence by his face.

It was a nice face.

Like a really nice face.

"Whoa," she said.

Officer Nice Face quirked an eyebrow.

"This is how people end up in jail for assaulting an officer, isn't it?"

Officer Nice Face raised both eyebrows. His lip twitched.

"Okay. Shutting up now," Bella said. She could feel her face burning with embarrassment as she turned to face forward.

She heard the rustle of his clothes as he stepped forward and then shivered when she felt him lean down. "It is, in fact, a Star Wars tattoo. And it's not the only one I have."

Bella spun around, flustered and intrigued.

Good lord, he did have a pretty face. Dancing green eyes. Wicked smile. She licked her lips. "You know, if I ask you where the other ones are, and you arrest me for harassment, that's entrapment."

His lips curled up into a full-fledged grin. "I'll have to keep that in mind." He leaned in again. "And they're in third date kind of places."

"So if I wanted to see them…"

His look turned solemn. "You'd have to agree to a date."

Now it was Bella's turn to grin. "The things I do as an admirer of tattoos. And Star Wars."


	46. JasperPeter II

**For: Linda**

 **Prompt: A picture of a cart full of dogs.**

 **Pairing: Jasper/Peter**

* * *

Jasper walked in the door and immediately dropped to his knees, anticipating the delirious happiness of his dogs. They yipped, jumping and licking him joyously, and Jasper took time to scratch each of them behind their ears. One. Two. Three. Four.

Footsteps drew his attention. Jasper looked up, a smile already on his face as he opened his mouth to greet his husband. His hello died on his lips.

Peter had another puppy in his arms.

"Welcome home, baby," Peter said, leaning over the puppy to give Jasper a warm, lingering hello kiss. He pulled back and glanced down at his bundle. "Would you believe someone had this cutie in a box outside the grocery store? I didn't know people still did that."

Jasper didn't believe him actually, but he wasn't going to call his husband on it. Instead, he smiled and petted the new addition to the family. "What's his name?"

"Her name is Layla

"Hello there, Layla." Jasper laughed, genuinely charmed when the dog craned her head and nipped playfully at his hand.

They walked to the kitchen, each chatting about their day. It wasn't until they were midway through the meal that Jasper summoned his courage. "Baby, I think we need therapy."

He was actually quite certain that he didn't need therapy. Peter desperately did. He thought he understood why dog after dog kept appearing in their home. They could have dogs. They couldn't have kids.

They'd been down a long and heartbreaking road already before they were chosen by a pregnant woman to be the adoptive parents of her child. They took their son home. Loved him and cared for him and called him theirs. They were daddies.

Two days before the paperwork went through, the birth mother changed her mind. Devastated didn't even begin to cover it.

Jasper had recovered as much as it was possible to recover. Peter kept trying to fill the empty space in his heart with dogs.

Peter put his fork down and stared for a long time at his plate. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, okay"


	47. JacobSeth

**For: lytebrytehybrid88**

 **Prompt: I Feel Good All Over by Stephanie Mills**

 **Pairing: Jacob/Seth**

 **A/N: I said my one prerequisite was that I didn't want to play with the wolves... But it's Christmas. In the name of the season...**

* * *

"You know that kid is in love with you right?"

Jacob rolled his eyes. He looked not at Edward but at his best friend, Edward's girlfriend, Bella. "Did you know your boyfriend thinks he's a mind reader?"

Edward chuckled. "I don't have to be a mind reader. I have eyes."

"He's got a point, Jake," Bella said, leaning her head on Edward's shoulder and smiling at Jacob with mock-innocence. "And you want to know what else?"

Jacob rolled his eyes again, but fixed Bella with a stare. "What?"

Her grin was blinding. "You kinda like him too."

He snorted, but whatever he might have said was cut off when the object of their discussion plopped down beside him on the log around the bonfire. "I saved you a burger," Seth said, offering Jacob a plate. "You gotta understand, this was no easy task. Paul almost bit my fingers off."

Knowing Edward and Bella were watching, Jacob fought his smile. In the end, though, he couldn't help it. Seth mimed Paul furiously munching everything in his path, and Jacob laughed. "Good looking out, bro," he said, looking down at his plate.

Well, what? These days, Jacob had way too much on his plate, running the family business as his father got sicker and being a pillar of the community. Seth reminded him of himself just a few years ago-carefree and happy. He was like sunshine.

Jacob shook that thought off. Sunshine? What the hell.

The kid made him smile. He was funny. That was all.

Jacob glanced at Seth and the kid grinned at him. His cheeks were puffed up, full of food as he chewed. Jacob snorted. He ruffled Seth's hair and took a big bite of his own burger.

~0~

"Jesus Christ, Seth. Do you ever shut up?"

"Can do, boss," Seth said, and immediately fell silent.

Jacob sighed and rubbed his eyes, feeling bad. Seth-the one with the least seniority and therefore the least responsibility-was the only one who hadn't given up on this little project. Jacob had expected to be done hours ago and everyone else had quit hours ago. Not Seth. He was still working diligently, keeping up a running commentary on this and that person at work, at home, and holy cow, did you catch that game three nights ago?

After a few minutes of silence, Jacob turned to apologize. No need to bite Seth's head off just because he was capable of being bubbly at three in the morning when he was bone tired.

Thing was, Seth leaned over to grab something across the table just as Jacob turned. As a result, Seth's face was only an inch from his. The kid's eyes went wide, startled. He swallowed hard and laughed-almost a giggle. "Hey, sorry," he said.

But he didn't move. Neither did Jacob.

With a grunt, Jacob closed the inch and kissed the younger man.

He'd been right. Exactly like sunshine.


	48. EB III Part 2

**For: Alicia**

 **Prompt: Continuation of E/B III's deranged Edward**

 **Pairing: Edward/Bella**

 **A/N: Okay, I feel the need to warn you this is dark, depraved, and not even remotely consensual. There's no rape-it's just...Eep!**

* * *

Largely, Edward considered himself humane, but being immortal had its way of readjusting his moral compass. This human had tempted him. It wasn't fair, but life was often unfair.

He could have moved silently. Instead, he let his footfalls be heard as he stepped into the room. The result was instantaneous. She tried to hide her whimper, but he heard it clear as a bell. Even if she'd been successful, he would have known precisely how frightened she was. The scent of it permeated the room, filled his every sense.

It was only centuries of mastery over his own will that kept Edward from pouncing right then. He could have been over to her in a fraction of a second, had her drained in under three. How warm and sweet her blood would be-perfection on his lips.

Fear always made their scent better, and this little one had already smelled so delectable. No, she was not helping herself at all. He chuckled.

He had her on the large canopy bed, bound with her wrists together. There was a lot of give to the rope-enough that she could walk a few paces from the bed.

The first time, she'd run as far away as the rope allowed. Now, she didn't move from where she was perched on the bed. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, each fast-beat of her heart bringing a more savory flavor to the air.

His little helper elf. Bella, her name was. She'd told him things. He liked talking. These humans-they never could help it, even when they wanted to. They always talked. She pressed her lips together as he tugged on the opposite end of the rope. She swallowed a yelp as her arms were raised above her head.

The theatrics entertained Edward. He had no need to restrain her. He was too fast and too strong and too absolutely lethal to need things like rope, but they were effective.

She squeezed her eyes tightly shut as he knelt on the bed and positioned himself behind her. When his icy fingertips brushed her neck her body began to quake. He pushed her hair over one shoulder, his mouth filling with venom as his eyes zeroed in on a pulse point.

He ducked his head, pressing an open-mouthed kiss to her shoulder, breathing her in.

"Please," she said on a breath.

He chuckled, and she shuddered. He pressed his lips to her neck. Her cheek. Then her ear. He let his fingers crawl up her body, up her arms, to tap on her wrists. "Tell me, pretty Bella. You must know an open wound on your skin will only drive me mad. Why do you do this to yourself, hmm?"

Her wrists were chafed where she'd struggled to loosen her binds, the blood rubbed out from beneath her skin.

She let out a soft cry when his hands ran down her body and came to rest firmly at her waist. She sucked in a sharp breath. "Mmm-maybe I just want you to end it."

He chuckled again. She had too much fight left in her for that to be true. They both knew it. He tickled the skin of her stomach, intrigued by the change in the air. He could smell more than fear on her. Her body was responding to his touch.

"Please," she said again.

He'd already told her he had no intention to rape her. He wasn't that kind of monster. Although, he had cause to know blood mixed with the essence of a woman was a delicacy in and of itself.

He ran the tip of his nose down her neck and sank his teeth into her skin. She screamed. She always did, and the pulse of her beating heart sent the blood rushing into his mouth.

No greater taste on earth.

No. He wasn't ready to be done with her yet.

He drank as much as he dared, waiting until she'd gone limp in his arms, her whimpers weak and her pulse thready. She was conscious but only barely. It would be days until her blood replenished.

Closing the wound on her neck and licking her clean, he laid her down on the bed. He brushed her hair from her face tenderly. He had the strangest sensation of fondness. She intrigued him far too much, and, for a moment, the desire to keep her consumed him.

But no. He was not that kind of monster either.


	49. JasperMaria

**For: Hitchy**

 **Prompt: Someone Like You by Adele**  
 **Pairing - Maria/ Jasper**

* * *

Jasper never could sit still. He and Maria were alike that way. They'd traveled all through the South together. Maria thought they were in love. She thought they were happy. The last thing she ever expected was to wake up alone. Abandoned.

Her friends told her to forget about the bastard, but she couldn't. She was too bewildered. They'd been happy. She was happy. Hadn't she kept him satisfied? Hadn't their life been filled with fun and adventure-every day different and exciting?

For him to leave without a word-no note of explanation, no contact-was something Maria couldn't bring herself to accept. Her Jasper had been obsessed with her, had spent countless hours on countless days worshipping at her feet. How could he have given that up on a whim? Decided overnight to leave her?

No. There had to be a reason. For years, Maria was convinced he only had to find his way back to her. Maybe there was something preventing him. She kept looking, made sure their mutual friends knew where she was headed next in case.

Then, she met up with a friend of theirs whom she hadn't seen in a long time.

"Oh, Jasper. I'd almost forgotten you two were together. He and Alice are so close, it's hard to remember him with anyone else."

Peter had never been known for his tact. He winced before she said anything. "Ah, Maria. I'm sorry. That was a fucked up thing for me to say. It's just old news, right? You and he have been done for ages."

It just...didn't compute. She and Jasper used to talk about settling down, but it was a someday type of thing. When the wiles of their youth were finally quiet. Jasper talked about living in a big house surrounded by loved ones.

Maria caught up with him in Calgary.

It was true. He was married. To a woman who was nothing at all like Maria. A tiny thing where Maria was statuesque. Bright where Maria was dark. Not only that, but he had a family.

She watched him for days from afar. He lived in the same house as his in-laws, as near she could figure. Her Jasper would never do that. Not only that, but his little wife's siblings seemed so close, they visited constantly with their spouses and children.

This was not the man she had loved.

It took several days, but finally, she caught him alone. She thought he'd at least be pleased to see her. He wasn't. He was livid.

"I left that life behind when I left you behind. I'm happy now."

"You think you can just forget all of it? Forget me?"

He laughed. The sound was bitter. "Forget what? The drugs and the booze and the constantly running, running, running to keep one step in front of the law? No, I can't forget. I won't, because it's what makes me appreciate everything I have. Don't you get it? I have peace now. You're chaos.

"If I see you again, I'm calling the cops," he said before he turned away from her.

No. He wasn't the man she'd once known. Maybe that would be enough to give her the closure she needed to move on.


	50. EmmettBella II

**For: Jansails**

 **Prompt: Jansails told me a story about a New Moon AU she always wanted to read.**  
 **Pairing - Emmett/Bella**

 **A/N: This is not canon. I cannot break canon E/B. It goes against my programming. However, I was intrigued by the idea Jan presented... and obviously, it ran away with me. I forget how intriguing a character Emmett can be to write.**

* * *

The day after it all went down, he showed up at her house. He knocked, but Bella didn't answer. She didn't want to answer. She wanted to stay underneath her blankets with the comforter pulled over her head. She wanted to stay numb, because if she had to feel any of the pain that was hanging over her head like a ton of bricks, she was afraid she'd be crushed to death.

Nothing felt real. Maybe that was why she wasn't surprised to hear Emmett's voice outside her door. It should have been strange. She liked Edward's older brother. He was funny and kind. He was good to Edward, and he'd always smiled at Bella. He'd kept his distance though, and Bella couldn't blame him for that. His girlfriend had never liked her, and she was the type to get in snippy fights with him if he interacted with people she didn't like. Generally, she'd made it difficult for them to get close.

So why was he here?

Curiosity got the better of her. Bella dragged herself out from under her covers to open the door. She sat down on the couch without a word, staring straight ahead at nothing. Her heart ached with every beat.

Emmett stood in the middle of her living room, rubbing the back of his head, looking uncharacteristically bereft. That should have been a surprise too. What did he have to be upset about.

He grunted and sat near her on the couch. "Bella...I just…"

He huffed and then it all came tumbling out, a barrage of words unlike she'd ever heard from the man before. "It's fucked up, okay? What my brother did. It's fucked up."

Bella laughed, the sound bitter. "He's fucked up, Emmett." She took a shaky breath, wrapping her arms around herself. "I mean, it's not his fault. I knew going in this could happen."She started to rock, hurting for herself and for Edward. "He hates himself. This makes sense to him, you know? It makes perfect sense to him that I'm better off without him. He can't see himself as a good thing for anyone."

"Well, that's fucking bullshit." Emmett's words came out as a growl. "Whatever, I get that he's sick. I get that, but that doesn't mean it had to go down like this. It's fucked up, the way he left you."

Bella had been trying to hold on to what she knew. Edward was sick. He had been all the time she'd known him. He struggled. He hurt. He had demons she couldn't slay for him. In his self-loathing, he'd hurt her time and time again. He'd hurt her because he couldn't comprehend that she loved him. She really and truly loved him.

But Emmett's words effectively unclipped the tight leash she had on her anger. She started to cry. She buried her head against Emmett's chest and started to scream. She screamed out all the things she couldn't say to Edward's face. It didn't matter that he was sick. It didn't matter that she knew all his vile words, all his hurtful actions, were because he was sick. She still deserved to be pissed the fuck off. She still deserved to recognize her hurt.

Asshole.

Prick.

Dramatic bastard.

Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you.

Emmett held her through all of it, his arms strong and steady around her. Toward the end, when the grief and fury had ebbed the slightest bit, his commentary made her giggle.

"I think it's too good to call him an asshole, dude. Assholes are useful. I hear there are some nice nerve endings back there too. That's the rumor anyway. I wouldn't know personally."

She sniffled and raised her head. "Are you trying to tell me you're not kinky, Emmett Cullen?"

"Pfft. I'm trying to tell you Rose is too damn prissy to stick her finger in my butt."

Bella laughed again. She rested her head on Emmett's chest. It was surreal to be here like this with him, but the whole day didn't feel real. She hadn't quite accepted any of it had happened yet. "Speaking of Rose, how are you still here."

She was surprised when he didn't answer right away. She was even more surprised when he sighed. "That's over," he said in a small voice.

Bella sat up. Emmett had a weird sense of humor sometimes, but she could tell the second she looked at him he wasn't joking. There was a tightness to his eyes, a pain that matched hers. "What?"

He shook his head, looking at some fixed point across the room. "You know, there are a lot of good things about Rose. A lot." He pressed his lips together and swallowed thickly. "But she was so vindictive about you."

"About me?"

"When Edward told us what he was about to do, she was just so happy about the whole thing. I couldn't deal. It's fucked up, you know? And it's one thing to understand why he thought he had to do it, but it was another thing to be so...I don't know...gleeful about the fact you'd be hurting. I hate that part of her, and I just couldn't be part of it anymore. I couldn't be part of any of it."

Bella was shocked silent. It took her a long minute to figure out how to react. She opened her arms wide. "You wanna cry about it?"

He looked at her, and his lips quirked up and down, up and down, before he burst out laughing. "Yeah, I kinda do, actually." He surprised her again by cuddling up against her with his head on her shoulder, his arms around her waist. His hair was soft. He didn't cry, but he sighed. "Break ups suck."

"Yeah."

"I know it's not what you want, but you got me, kid."

"Yeah."


	51. JasperBella V

**For: Natalie**

 **Prompt: Picture of a guy and gal holding hands reading: Happy birthday! Wherever you are is where I want to be.**

 **Pairing - Jasper/Bella**

* * *

Sometimes being the understanding girlfriend sucked.

Bella understood why Jasper had to take the opportunity to study abroad. She understood how a semester turned into an entire school year. To be fair, Jasper also understood why she couldn't leave behind her scholarship to join him, why she couldn't apply to his foreign school and take a semester abroad herself.

They both understood these things.

Being poor students, though, they lived on exactly what their scholarships let them. There was no room in thier budgets for plane tickets, and so it had been almost a year since they'd seen each other.

Bella understood all that, but it sucked. It was her birthday. Jasper had always told her she should have exactly what she wanted on her birthday-one day a year where no one could say no to her. But she was the understanding girlfriend, so she couldn't tell him what she wanted-the only thing she wanted-was to have him there with her.

"Isabella Marie! I'm not going to let you be a whiney brat on your birthday. Get your ass up."

Bella began to rethink her choice of best friend when Rosalie pounded on her bedroom door. "Go away!"

"Nope. We're going shopping. My treat, remember?"

"Only you would think taking me shopping on my birthday is a good thing," Bella shouted back.

"Free clothes, wench! You'll thank me later."  
~0~  
Rosalie kept Bella going, going, going all day. It was a good attempt at distraction, but not good enough.

Jasper hadn't called.

No way he'd forgotten. No way.

Right?

Shopping wasn't that bad, especially since Rosalie paid for everything. Even Bella had to admit the dress she bought was slinky and perfect. She looked damn good.

Then, Rosalie took her to the spa for massages and facials so they felt damn good. They did their hair and their nails for good measure.

By the time they were on their way to the fancy restaurant-Bella in her new dress with her done-up hair-Jasper still hadn't called. Her heart was beginning to ache.

Really, she was beginning to get pissed.

Rosalie pulled up in front of the place and the passenger side door opened. Bella was somewhat shocked. She hadn't realized this was the kind of place with doormen who helped you out of cars.

"Madam?"

Bella froze. She knew that voice. She looked up...and then she leapt out of the car with a cry of surprise and delight. "Jasper," she gasped, already beginning to cry. "Oh my god, what are you doing here. Oh my god."

He laughed, the sound deep and rich in her ear. His arms around her were tight and secure. "Miss my girl's birthday? Not on your life."

"How did you do this? Oh my god, you can't afford this. You-"

"Shh." He set her on her feet and took her face between his hands. "I missed the hell out of you, Bella."

He kissed her then. A fairytale kiss. She melted against him, happiness bubbling up.

When the kiss broke, she tucked herself beneath his chin. Then she gasped and looked around. "Where's Rosalie."

Jasper smirked. "Not here."

"And my parents?"

"They'll be here tomorrow." He caught her again and pulled her back into his arms. "Just you and me tonight, baby girl."

Bella grinned and wound her arms around his neck. "Well, I think this is going to be the best birthday ever."

* * *

 **A/N: Remember today is the last day to get your prompts in. Please PM me your prompts or leave them on my FB group. It's really difficult for me to organize the one I get via review.**

 **And for those of you wondering if I'm ever going to start writing my real stories again, I am ALMOST done with a By Proxy update. I'm hoping to catch up on all my stories this week.**


	52. CharlieAlice

**For: SagaDevotee**

 **Prompt: Something sexy/sweet from Charlie & Alice (Springeresque)**

 **Pairing - Charlie/Alice**

* * *

"Grandpa!" Micky shouted at the same time Peter bellowed, "Daddy!"

Charlie sighed. "I'm too old for this shit he said and snickered at his own, literally crappy joke as he wiped Mei, his youngest granddaughter, clean. "I'll be right there. Don't kill each other," he shouted over his shoulder.

He turned his attention back to four-month-old Mei who gurgled happily and kicked at him. "Tell you what, Mei. Right now, you're my favorite." He snapped her onsie back in place and lifted her to his chest. "Don't tell the monsters."

A minute later, he was settling an argument between four-year-olds. An hour after that, all three children were miraculously conked out and two minutes later, their father/grandfather/uncle was passed out on the couch right along with them. Which is how his wife found him twenty minutes later when she came home.

He was still groggy by the time his daughter came over to pick up her girls. It was still such a gratifying, somewhat mystifying sight to Charlie-to see his little girl grown with little girls of her own.

"Sister, Sister!" Peter tugged at Bella's arm, wanting his own hug.

She laughed, setting Mei down again on her play mat so she could lift her little brother up into her arms.

Speaking of mystifying sights, there was another shocker he couldn't quite wrap his head around. All his friends had grown children like him. He was the only one who also had a small child too. Fourteen more years until his nest was possibly empty, and he'd still have grandchildren to fill it often.

Weird.

By the time Bella and the girls left, it was evening. Peter required a little bit of Daddy/son playtime, a bath, and then bed.

Finally, Charlie plopped himself down in his recliner, spent. Coming to sit across from him, Alice laughed. "You have to have more stamina than that, Swan."

Charlie opened one eye to look at her, his smile more wry than amused. "You married an old, old man, sweetheart." Today he felt every inch of his age.

She snorted and came to sit on the arm of his chair, putting an arm around his shoulders. "You need me to kiss it better, baby?" she asked, her voice lilting.

Despite his exhaustion, at the husky sound of her voice, Charlie stirred. He splayed his hand against the small of her back and tilted his head up. "Mmhmm."

Smiling, Alice leaned down and kissed his forehead. She was slow as she peppered kisses around his face. The tip of his nose. His eyes. His cheeks. Everywhere but where he wanted her most. When she finally did kiss his lips, it was with the barest brush of a kiss. "There," she said, straightening. "All better."

He gave a little growl. "Woman, are you trying to tease me?"

Her expression was the picture of innocence. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, Charlie. You were about five seconds from passing out just a minute ago."

Getting a hold of her waist, he pulled her onto his lap, cutting off her yelp of surprise with a passionate kiss. "I think I got my second wind," he rumbled against her lips.

Her return smile was triumphant. "I guess you're not so useless after all, old man."


	53. CarlisleBella IV

**For: Hitchy**

 **Prompt: May-December romance in the making. (Bella is young, Carlisle is older). Shy, wide-eyed girl being kissed for the first time at midnight on New Years Eve.**

 **Pairing - Carlisle/Bella**

 **A/N: Of course I had to do the New Years prompt on New Years!**

* * *

James was the one who goaded her into action.

"Baby, don't pretend you're not small potatoes," he'd said, his arm around her when she told him about all her big hopes and dreams. "You play it too safe for any of that. You haven't even been further East than Arizona in all your life."

It had bothered her because it was true. She did play it safe. She was careful with money and decisions. But he was wrong about one thing: she wasn't small potatoes.

This whole trip had been one big fuck you to everyone who thought she was some placid wallflower. She would show them. She picked a destination-New York City. There was so much she wanted to see, and it was New Years to boot.

She'd been in the city three days by the time New Years Eve came around. Three days during which she'd seen some amazing things, but she'd also experienced an intense loneliness. New York City wasn't the type of place she should have gone to prove she could conquer the world. It was incredible how alone she could be surrounded by that many people.

That was how she found herself inching further and further away from the insanity that was Time's Square on New Year's Eve. No one was alone. They were all milling about in groups or worse, groups made up of couples. Everyone was hanging on someone, dancing, throwing their arms around each other.

Bella wandered by herself, watching but not part of the hubbub. Trying her luck, she was able to sneak into a bar, disguising herself as part of a larger group. It was another story to tell. Who was small potatoes now? Who was playing it safe, sneaking into bars nine months underage?

With no one to have her back if she got a little too drunk.

Despite herself, tears pricked at her eyes. Right. This was why sensible, sedate Bella never did anything like this. She ordered a Pepsi, nervously telling the bartender she was the designated driver. When it came, she stared down into it, just waiting for midnight to roll around so she could have her story to tell.

She'd leave the tears out of it.

"So a horse walked into a bar, and the bartender says, 'Why the long face?'"

Bella looked to her side. She wanted to curse herself for being so she was a virgin. True, she'd never even kissed anyone, but she should have expected to be hit on in a bar.

Since he'd had to speak directly into her ear to be heard over the din, Bella expected to find him close. When she turned to the source of the voice, though, she was somewhat startled to see a soft smile instead of a leer. The man was blond and, well...he was fucking hot was what he was. He gave a small laugh at his own dumb joke. Strangely, it was endearing instead of irritating. "Sorry," he said. "You seemed sad. It's a strange day to be sad."

"Um. No. I'm not sad," Bella lied. She sat up straighter. "I was just thinking, that's all."

Another friendly smile. "About what?"

"About how weird it is to celebrate New Years." She spun her glass around in her hands. She actually had been thinking about this earlier, so it wasn't a stretch. "It's an arbitrary day, you know? It could have just as easily been August 13th as January 1st. And why are we all supposed to be so happy? The earth revolved around the sun like it does every day." She stopped herself, knowing she was babbling. "Anyway, it's just weird. If you think about it."

"That's true," he said, sounding thoughtful. "But then again, even if it's just an excuse to celebrate, that seems worthwhile." He gestured around them. "Anything that causes this much happiness is a good thing."

"That's true," she said.

He took a sip of his beer. "Do you know what my favorite thing about New Years is?"

"What's that?"

"It means the very first thing you say every year is Happy."

At that, Bella couldn't help but smile. She looked back to her drink, and was startled to find her heart was racing. There was a strange giddiness rising in her. Not for the first time in her life, she wished she was someone else. Someone who knew what to do in these situations. A little flirting wouldn't have gone amiss right then.

But who was she kidding. There was something curious in the way he looked at her. Something heated but cautious, and she could easily figure out why. This guy, on top of being ridiculously attractive, was also not in her age bracket-by at least a decade, if she had to guess. There was just no way anything was going to happen there.

Hell, Bella didn't even know what she wanted to happen.

"So," he said, leaning into her space to speak to her again. "What's a girl-woman like you doing in a place like this?"

"Do you always talk in cheesy lines?" Bella almost kicked herself for asking, but he only laughed.

"I'm an only child. My kind is used to amusing themselves. I'm a sucker for cheesy lines and corny jokes." He shrugged. "At least one of us thinks I'm funny."

She couldn't help her smile. "I think you're funny," she said.

He looked up at her. Their noses almost bushed-they were that close. In fact, when the whole bar began shouting in unison making them jump, their noses bonked into each other.

At eight, they drew back, each of them touching their noses.

By six they had figured out neither of them were seriously hurt and started laughing.

At three, the blond man's eyes darted down to her lips.

At one, Bella Swan, small potatoes virgin, got her first kiss from a beautiful stranger in a random New York City bar. It was a good kiss. A lingering one. Sweet and hot and...was one of them supposed to pull away? She didn't want to. Apparently, he didn't either.

It did break eventually, though neither of them pulled away from each other. His eyes searched hers, and he pushed a strand of hair out of her face. The chaos all around them was deafening.

Bella pushed forward, her lips against his ear. "Happy New Year."

* * *

 **A/N: Happy New Year to all of you. Let's make it a great one.**


	54. EB XIX

**For: Jennifer**

 **Prompt:A photo saying you save everyone but who saves you?**

 **Pairing: E/B**

* * *

It was finals week when Edward finally lost his cool. Bella was studying hard for a final she wasn't too sure of. With three hours to go until that class started, her phone rang. It was her mother. She was drunk-she was always drunk-and needed a ride home.

Bella instantly started shoving her books into her backpack. "Yeah, Mom. Stay right there. I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

Edward watched her for a moment, tapping his foot, beyond irritated. "Bella, this isn't fair."

"What are you talking about?"

"The way you keep interrupting your life to take care of your mother, your father, half your parasitic friends."

She sighed. "What do you want me to do, Edward? I told her she could call me whenever she needed me, because if she doesn't call me, she drives home drunk. What good is that to anyone, huh? What good is it to me if she gets herself killed or worse, kills someone else?"

"I know you think that makes sense, and it does. All our friends know they can call you any time from anywhere and you'll go get them no questions asks. But there's a point when you're being taken advantage of. Your mother is past that point. She calls you almost every other day."

Bella slid her arms through the straps of her backpack. "It is what it is," she said with a shrug. "I have to go so I can be back on time for the final."

Edward hesitated a moment before darting after her. "Why don't you let me go? I can pick her up. You study."

"No. I can do it. I'll be fine," she said.

Edward had expected this. She never let him help. That was another problem with a life like hers. There were too many people pulling her in too many directions, and she was too proud or stubborn to let him alleviate her stress. She was twenty years old, and she had the stress of a forty-two year old mother of six.

He huffed, frustrated as she climbed into her car. "You're not supposed to give up your life for hers. Not for anyone."

"I have to go, Edward."

In the end, what could he do? He stood back and watched her drive away.  
~0~  
She didn't make it to the final. She didn't answer his calls. After his last final, Edward headed straight to her apartment. He used the spare key and let himself in, calling her name.

She didn't answer, but he found her easily enough. She was sitting just inside the doorway, against the wall. Her eyes were vacant. Her cheeks tear-streaked.

When he coaxed her, she told a story about how in the time she struggled to get her mother into bed, her stepfather had stolen her money. She couldn't prove it, and he wouldn't admit it, but she'd had cash and now she didn't.

"I'm just so tired," she said in a broken voice.

Not knowing what to say, Edward went to her. He put his arms around her and started to lift her.

"I'll be okay," she said, protesting.

"Bella. Let me help you. Let me hold you. Let me be there." He was practically begging.

She sagged. Sniffled. Nodded.

Relieved, Edward lifted her up. Cradling her against his chest, he went to her bedroom and lay in the bed with her pressed tightly against him. "Don't you get it by now, beautiful girl?" he murmured against her crown. "I want to be here for you. Always. No matter what."


	55. EB XX

**For: Lori**

 **Prompt:A Photo that says Thank God someone threw me away so you could pick me up and love me.**

 **Pairing: E/B**

* * *

Bella sighed happily, clapping as one of her oldest, dearest friends finally married the love of their life.

"How long have they been together?" her mother asked.

"Since high school."

Renee grunted.

Bella raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Her mother smiled. "You're going to tell me I'm a jaded old crone again."

"Just tell me."

Renee sighed, looking over at the happy couple now twirling around the dance floor. "You know, for all you think I don't, I love the idea of love. I love the grandeur and fairytale of it. I love weddings. That's what I'm doing here."

"But?"

"I don't think it's cute when people were childhood sweethearts. I can't help but think it's sad."

Bella looked back over at Alice and Jasper. "I don't know. They seem pretty happy."

"I'm sure they are." She straightened up, taking a sip of her wine. "It's just personal opinion, honey. The thing is, I don't know anyone who didn't end up miles off target from the person they were at seventeen. You grow, you change, you really figure out who you are in your twenties. There's something sweet, I suppose, about the idea of growing and changing as part of a couple, but to me, it's sad. How do you ever know who you are as an individual if you've never had the opportunity to grow as one?"

Bella frowned. "You know, I was supposed to be here." She nodded out at the dance floor. "We had the same plans in high school. To marry our sweethearts as soon as we got out of college. True, Alice and Jasper ended up putting it off a few more years, but they already have a four-year-old kid, you know? They're living the life I dreamed of."

Renee hummed. "Yes, and when you were babbling about those kinds of plans, I was praying they wouldn't happen." She reached across the table and took Bella's hands. "Honey, I know how devastated you were when James left you."

Bella flinched.

She and her high school boyfriend were oh so in love. It had been so cliche. He was one year ahead of her in school and he'd gone away to college. He came home to her on Christmas break still telling about all the things they would do in their perfect future. But toward the end of the school year, he'd butt-dialed her while he was having sex with someone else.

"I hate that you had to go through that, but I can't say I'm upset. Think about all you've done. You went to the college you wanted instead of the one you would have settled for to be with him. You had a semester abroad, had experiences, done so many things you wouldn't have done if you were part of a couple. You've made mistakes, learned from them, bounced back. You are a beautiful, secure twenty-seven year old woman who knows exactly what she wants out of life."

Bella couldn't argue with that. She also couldn't say she really regretted it. She knew what James had become, what her life would have been if she'd been able to stay with him. She wondered if she would have been happy. She wondered if the things he'd gotten into and the places he'd been would have made her happy, because that would have been all she'd known.

People were different when they were part of a couple. That was just fact. Couplehood was compromising. No one got away with being everything they wanted, and that was fine. It was right and good to compromise in a relationship, but she saw her mother's point.

How much was lost if you'd never had the chance to know yourself, by yourself, first?

Someone clearing their throat got Bella's attention. She looked up, surprised to find herself staring at Alice's older brother. He flashed her a grin. "That is you, Bella Swan."

Bella was startled. Edward was six years older than Alice, so she'd only seen him a few times. "You remember me?"

He chuckled. "Well, I probably wouldn't have, but Alice reblogs your posts on Facebook all the time. You know you've done a number of things on my bucket list? You walked the trail at Mt. Hua Shan to the world's most inaccessible tea house last year, right?"

Bella laughed. "That was me." One of the things she'd found out after James was that she was a bit of an adrenaline junkie.

"Fantastic." Edward tilted his head. "Do you dance?"

Again, another thing she'd only discovered she enjoyed after James. James hated dancing, so Bella thought it was stupid too, when she was young.

She put her hand in Edward's offered one. "I do dance."


	56. EB XXI

**For: Rynee**

 **Prompt: Bella watching Professor Edward Cullen give a lecture and reminiscing all they've been through together. (She was a former student of his.)**

 **Pairing: E/B**

* * *

Bella was early to pick Edward up. She considered waiting in his office, but instead, she went the other direction, toward the lecture hall.

He was there, holding court. She sneaked in and took a seat in the back to watch the show. His passion for his subject made him fascinating to watch. Like Robin Williams in Dead Poet's Society.

It was a scene Bella would have said wasn't possible in a real life classroom until she saw it for herself. His students were engaged-caught up in the performance. That was exactly what he did-he performed his lessons. He swung his arms and shouted and did sarcastic impressions of the jackass Tudor kings.

While she enjoyed history, it wasn't her major. History classes were a lot of work and frequently taught by boring as hell professors. But she needed a credit, and his class fit her very limited time slot.

It was supposed to be one of those classes she gritted her teeth and got through because that was what it took to graduate. Instead, it changed her whole life.

She remembered sitting in a lecture hall, watching him, enthralled. She started looking forward to that class. Hell, she practically skipped into the room every Tuesday and Thursday morning.

It was halfway through the semester when she realized she was as mooneyed as the student in Indiana Jones who'd written I love you on her eyelids. It was ridiculous. Hot for teacher? That was a damn porno. Sure, he was hot. And passionate, but she had other things to do.

Then she'd gone to a reading of a historical fiction book series she liked. A series she found out her history professor wrote. A series which he read with just as much passion and performance as he taught his classes.

From there, it was a whirlwind of conversations-innocent conversations at bookstores, then over coffee, then at his office. She was the first one to kiss him, and she remembered the wide-eyed look of panic that had come across his face when that kiss broke.

"Oh, my God," he'd said in a shattered whisper. "Oh, my God, I can't walk away."

They both knew better. They were both the kind of people who had seen others on the same path they were on and shaken their heads. They were both rational people who made good choices about their lives and careers. This was so much drama. So much.

And yet, neither one of them could convince themselves to walk away. They didn't. They spent a year on tenterhooks, hiding their romance, waiting for the next foot to fall. Waiting to be caught. Waiting for their lives to come crashing down around them.

Funny, knowing all that, Bella still couldn't walk away. She grabbed on tightly and held on with all her strength.

The other foot never fell. They played it smart and as safe as one possibly could when they were conducting a clandestine romance. They'd made it, and they'd been together for seven years.

He spotted her mid-sentence, and paused his lecture with his arms stretched out wide. His smile still stole her breath, and when he looked at her, there was no one else in that hall.

He cleared his throat and looked around his class. "Well, anyway. Blah, blah, blah, and then the War of the Roses. Next class. Everyone out."

For a second, no one moved. Edward raised his eyebrows. "What, are you the only college kids on the planet who don't want to get out of class twenty minutes early? Shoo."

The class laughed and there was the general commotion of students shoving laptops in bags and chattering amongst themselves. Bella got up and descended the steps as Edward raced up them. He caught her in his arms, his smile happy as he leaned in to kiss her.

"Hello, Queen Isabella," he said, swaying her in his arms.

"Queen Isabella married Ferdinand, King Edward."

Edward laughed. "You did pass that test." He kissed her again. "History could do with a rewrite now and again. Though don't tell my students I said that."

Bella took his hand. "Come along, my handsome King. Let's go home."

A hapless student stumbled into love with her equally hapless professor. The rest was history.


	57. EB XXII

**For: Rynee**

 **Prompt: That video of the two artists who had a passionate love affair, but decided to part. While doing a piece where she spent one silent minute with each person, the woman was surprised by the man. They just look at each other and it's...gah, sad and happy and wonderful and horrible. And powerful.**

 **Pairing: E/B**

* * *

The Beatles could not have been more wrong. Love was not all you needed. If love had been all she needed, she could have lived on Edward's love. Could have breathed it and eaten it, wrapped herself up in a cocoon of it and been happy.

But love didn't make up a life. Love was just something that happened between two people. It was a marker, a highlighter. There were seven billion people in the world and only a handful that were colored in bright highlighter yellow for Bella. Edward was her person-the most vibrant thing in her world, but he was never all she wanted.

The fact of the matter was, the things they both wanted out of life didn't coincide. In the end, it was that simple.

When they met, they were stardust. They burned supernova hot and bright. It was the kind of love that whether they were talking or making love, Bella dreaded going to sleep because she didn't want to miss anything. They got lost in each other's depths, physically and intellectually.

There was something so wonderful and freeing about being with someone who understood you-really and truly understood all the weird quirks and different ways of thinking. Bella firmly believed that every single person on the planet lived a different reality. Edward understood her reality and she his. Because they understood, they could discuss freely, could build. Each could expand the others universe.

And, oh, the sex. His kiss set her body on fire. He was the reason she knew what her every erogenous zone was. He'd taken the time to map her body. Throughout her life, she'd had several amazing lovers, but none like Edward.

They had such different lives; lives that rarely intersected. But when they did-heaven help them. The world was a different place. Brighter and wild and free.

Unsustainable.

The price of the great and powerful love they shared was the great and powerful agony that went with their loss. Every time, whether it had been mere months since they'd last seen each other or years, parting ripped their world to shreds. Every. Single. Time.

Every time they saw each other, she tucked him safe into the place he would always occupy in her heart. When he had to leave or she had to leave, ripping him back out again was like stabbing a knife in her own chest, carving him out inch by ragged inch. They always asked. Would this time be the time they stayed, compromised, figured out how to give up the lives they loved?

They always arrived at the same conclusion. As painful as it was, as mindbogglingly difficult to take that first step out the door and into their cars, and away from each other with tear-streaked faces and broken hearts, it would be much more painful for one of them to come to resent the other for the life they gave up.

The last time was different. Last times usually were.

Edward called her. They met at a diner. They sat across from each other and he didn't have to say a word. Her breath caught. "Oh," she said.

It was the beginning of the end for him. She could see it in his eyes, read it in the new thinness of his body.

He reached out across the table, his hands palm up, and she squeezed his fingers. "You'll stay?" he asked.

"Forever."

* * *

 **A/N: I have quite a bit more of these to do, so if you haven't seen yours, don't worry.**


	58. EB XXIII

**For: Winterhorses**

 **Prompt: A sign telling the story of a girl who dressed as a cabin boy and later became a fierce pirate.**

 **Pairing: E/B**

* * *

The life of a pirate captain was never certain. Not even counting the sea, which could be unforgiving to even the most savvy sailor, there were dangers from all sides. There was the constant threat of illness. Mutiny was forever around the corner. There was the Royal Navy to consider as well. And, of course, the threat of fellow pirates.

That was what had happened this time. She'd been dragged from a sound sleep to the alarm being raised. Enemy sails on the horizon.

The ensuing battle took its toll, but they emerged victorious.

"Cowards are running, Captain."

"I say we give chase. Send those yellow bastards to see Old Hob."

There was a general cheer of agreement. Bella gritted her teeth and stood at her full height. "Enough," she bellowed. "They'll get theirs, you mark my words, but not tonight. I won't give them the satisfaction of sending my ship to the depths. She's listing. Can't you fools see?" She shook her head. "No, lads. Let them run. Turnabout and set sail for Tortuga. We're in need of repairs. Mr. McCarty."

Her second in command was at her side in an instant. Good man, that one. "Aye, Captain?"

"See to the wounded." She took a steadying breath. "Wrap the bodies of the dead. Send some below to check the damage. I believe we're taking on water, but nothing we can't handle."

"Aye, Captain." He walked away, snarling orders.

Bella stood for one more moment, glaring around lest any of them raise hell over not pursuing their attackers. A few looked disgruntled, but they set about their work. Bella retreated to her quarters. No sooner had she closed the door then she slumped against it, barely able to hold herself upright. Slipping her hand into her coat, she pressed against her side and had to muffle a cry. Her hand was hot and sticky with her blood.

She'd known she was wounded of course, but she couldn't afford to show it. A pirate captain always had to be strong in the face of anything. A pirate captain who was also a woman had to be invincible.

"You're hurt."

Bella was startled by the voice and cursed herself for forgetting. Though it cost her dearly, she stood up straight again and scowled at her prisoner-the son of the governor of Port Angeles, Edward Cullen. "I'm fine," she said, taking a step toward her table. If she could sit and take a restorative sip of rum, things would be better.

"I know something of giving aid. Let me help you." The boy went to her side.

Bella slapped his hand away as he reached for her. She shook with the effort of it and nearly crumpled to the ground. She took a few teetering steps forward, finally reaching the chair where she could hold herself steady. "I'm fine," she insisted.

"You're not." He looked her over and stepped closer again. This time she hadn't the energy to push him away. "It's just me, Bella."

She bristled at the familiarity in his tone, but at the same time, a sense of longing hit her. He drove her insane at times. She had kept him in her cabin, let the crew believe she had claimed her right. She was a pirate, but there were some lines she wouldn't cross. There were those among her crew who would see any prisoner merely as booty and think it within their rights to take as they pleased. He was a very pretty lad, after all.

So she'd kept him in her quarters, had dealt with his prissy, entitled attitude. Her mistake, she thought, was that she had let herself feel some compassion for his fear, and she'd talked to him. He was a good listener and polite once he figured out that she was protecting him as best as she was able. He fancied they were friends. He had even told her she was funny, calling him boy when he figured they were close on the same age.

Bella couldn't afford to make friends. Especially not when, at the end of this journey, she fully intended to hand the boy over to a man whom Governor Cullen had made an enemy of. What happened to him after that was none of her business.

She thought about it far too much.

"At least take your coat off so I can see," Edward said.

Bella grunted, but she knew, with or without his help, she needed to dress the wound quickly-staunch the bleeding.

"Mother of mercy," Edward said under his breath.

The next second, he had swept her up into his arms. "What are you doing!" She only had strength to protest. "Unhand me at once."

"Hush."

"How dare-" Bella's words cut off with a cry she swallowed as he set her down on her bed. She clenched her jaw against the agony.

He knelt by her side, looking in her eyes. "It's just me. You have word as a gentleman that I will not use your momentary weakness against you. You are a fierce and terrible pirate. This doesn't change that. Please let me help you."

Looking into his eyes, she had the sudden desire to feel his arms around her. For once, she wanted to feel safe. She closed her eyes, shaken by the connection, and nodded. "Okay," she said.


	59. EdwardBellaJasper

**For: Judy**

 **Prompt: Swings, baby, yeah.  
**

 **Pairing: E/B/J**

 **A/N: SWINGERS. You have been forewarned.**

* * *

"Jesus Christ. Goddammit. Sonovabitch."

Bella smirked at Edward's outburst, and damn if it didn't make her look all the better-that sly, sexy grin. She was wearing one of those Queen of the night negligee numbers. Satin and lace criss-crossed her body in that barely there way that left so much tantalizing skin on display and yet covered enough to drive him crazy. The whole ensemble was topped off by one of those robes that trailed out behind her-more badass than Darth Vader's cape.

"Baby." Edward's voice was raw as he stepped over to his wife. "Holy fuck. What is this."

There was that smirk again as she batted away his hand. "Edward, I love you, but this is not for you."

He raised an eyebrow. "Who is it for?"

She sat on their bed, scooting to the middle, leaning back so the robe puddled on the comforter. Edward groaned, feeling his cock stir. She was tempting him, the minx.

"Jasper," she said, her eyes following him as he paced from one side of the room to the other like a cat on the prowl. "Turns out Alice is sick tonight. We get him all to ourselves."

"And this is for his benefit," Edward said, gesturing to her.

She waggled her eyebrows in confirmation and then laughed at his expression. "I love Alice. You know how much I love Alice. Tiny, fierce little thing. No one is more enthusiastic than Alice." Her eyes raked over his form, eye-fucking him shamelessly. Edward had to swallow a moan. "But when it's just you and Jasper?" She tilted her head back, exposing her neck. Jesus God, she knew how much he loved to suck on her neck. "What can I say? I love being the center of attention."

Edward swallowed hard. He could have her right there and then. He ached for her. "I should be jealous," he said, almost perfunctorily.

She snorted. "Right." She sat up, looking him in the eyes. "Honey, you love his cock almost as much as I do."

He huffed and knelt on the bed. He crawled to her and over her as she fell back. He kissed her hard and deep, but that was all. He had control. It wasn't perfect, and by the end of the night she would surely be his undoing several times over, but for now, he could play by her rules. "You are, as ever, right, my love."

~0~

Bella cried out, and they both stilled. "Are you okay?" they asked, their voices overlapping.

She laughed. She had to. They were sweet, her boys. She was facing her husband, and as she kissed him, she reached back to pulled Jasper's head closer. She bucked her hips forward than back and moaned into Edward's mouth.

They were both inside her. She was filled. Stretched. Surrounded. The sensation was amazing. "I'm fine," she said, panting. "Fuck, I'm on fire."

"Baby," Edward said and kissed her, his tongue entering her in time with his cock, setting a slow, easy rhythm.

"Fuck, sugar, that's so good," Jasper said, nipping at her earlobe as he matched Edward's thrust.

Bella arched with pleasure, throwing her head back onto Jasper's shoulder. When she did, Edward leaned over her to kiss him.

It was going to be a long and wonderful night.


	60. EB XXIV

**For: Cappie**

 **Prompt: Time of the Season by The Zombies  
**

 **Pairing: E/B**

 **A/N: Better you thought I forgot about you guys. I'm gonna finish your prompts. Promise.**

* * *

It was Spring again, and for Edward and his friends, that meant baseball in the park. Sure, none of them were schoolboys anymore. He and Jasper had started at the University. Emmett had a job and excellent prospects. Still, the lure of a perfect Spring day in 1967 was too good to pass up.

The three of them joined a game. Caught up in the swing of it, Edward didn't notice that he'd run to the edge of a slope in an effort to catch a fly ball. The impact of the ball in his glove sent him off balance, and he went tumbling down an embankment, hurtling into a group of girls who had been enjoying the sunshine together.

"Are you okay?" He felt a soft touch accompanying the words and opened his eyes slowly.

With the sun in his eyes, it took him a moment to focus on the angelic figure before him. It was a girl-long brown hair ruffling in the slight breeze. She wore a headband with a flower tucked in it, and a long, gauzy sundress. Her beautiful brown eyes were knitted and concerned. He blinked, breathless not from the fall but from the zing of electricity that had rocked through him.

"Did you hit your head?" she asked.

He laughed, because he'd never felt such a pull in his life. He was tongue-tied and discombobulated and he wouldn't have traded it for the world. "I'm fine," he finally managed. It was an understatement.

~0~

It was in the air lately. Maybe it was that he was a young man-barely about to be nineteen in another month. Young men were supposed to fall in and out of love easily. His best friend Emmett fell hard and fast for a different pretty girl every other week.

Edward had never been in love. He'd been in lust, but that was to be expected. He'd had a few minor girlfriends. This was not that.

Jasper, who was planning his life in five and ten year increments with his middle school girlfriend, had always says when Edward met "the one",he would just know. Edward had laughed at him for his mystical bullshit. He was eating his words now.

Bella was seventeen, staring graduation and the rest of her life in the face. She was brilliant,vibrant, and fearless. She had big ideas, and a desire for more.

Edward, laying in the grass beside her in the park where they'd met, rolled over, holding himself above her. He felt foolish, and yet, his words burst from him irrepressibly. "I want to be the one to help you realize your dreams. I want to be there with you to see these things. To do these things." He lowered himself down, letting most of his weight rest on his elbows. He kissed her, reveling in the feel of her body beneath his, the vibration of the tiny moan she made, her fingers in his hair.

"I love you," he said into her mouth.

She cupped his face in her hands. "I'm yours."


	61. EB XXV

**For: Marigel**

 **Prompt: Image saying - When I saw her, I didn't really see her but the pile of books she was carrying.  
**

 **Pairing: E/B**

 **A/N: This was more fun than work!**

* * *

Edward supposed he'd inherited some of his mother's natural nosiness. Curiosity was only natural, after all. He'd been sitting at his kitchen table with coffee and a book when he heard the noise of a loud truck on his otherwise peaceful street.

The street was lined with starter homes-three bedrooms at the most, single-story homes with cute lawns and just enough backyard. Edward amused himself trying to figure out the makeup of the family that was moving in. There was an older man with a moustache, three overgrown boys, and one female. The boys could have been men. It was hard to tell. They acted like boys-pushing at each other and playing with the furniture before getting it in the house-but if they were as young as they seemed, they were built like horses. All three of them were tall, broad, and strong. The man with the moustached seemed to be able to corral them, making Edward think he might be their father. But if he was, they'd either gotten their mother's coloring or else they were adopted.

It was harder to get a glimpse of the female. She'd gotten out of the driver's side of the truck and disappeared into the house. Edward thought she was a young woman, but it was hard to tell. She popped out to grab a box from the pile the boys had left to the side, but he couldn't really see her from where he was. She was short; that was for sure.

After half an hour or so of watching, Edward chastised himself. Yes, his mother had been nosey, but she'd used the information to be a good neighbor. Soup when they were sick, casseroles when they were in crisis, etc.

New neighbors called for a nice welcome. Edward switched to the latest book he'd been listening to on Audible and set to work. Forty minutes later, he set out across the street with a cooler with a bottle of iced tea and a bottle of lemonade in it, six red Solo cups, and a plate full of warm, gooey, chocolate chip cookies.

The truck was gone. It really hadn't been a big truck. The garage was still open, filled with boxes, furniture, and stacks of books. It took Edward a second to realize one of the stacks was moving. In fact, one of the stacks was rising into the air, swaying precariously as it did.

The stack, Edward realized, was being supported by someone he couldn't see behind it. He set down his cooler, set the plate of cookies on top of that, and hurried forward to help the woman. "What out," he said, because she was about to-

She yelped in surprise at his voice, and then again as the books toppled. She stepped backward, out of the way of the shower of books.

"Oh, jeez. I'm sorry." Edward got to his knees, hastily picking up books. "I was trying to help. That looked really heavy."

"I had it," she said, more matter-of-fact than indignant.

"Until I surprised you," Edward said with a grimace. "I'm really—"

But as he looked up, his throat closed off.

She'd gotten to her knees as well, books in her hands. Her face was a few inches from his. Wide, pretty, brown eyes blinked at him from behind black-rimmed glasses that sat haphazardly on her nose. She was, indeed, young and very beautiful.

"Um," Edward said, embarrassingly discombobulated. He had no idea what was wrong with him. He hadn't been struck dumb by anyone since he was fifteen years old. He coughed and forced himself to stop staring, to concentrate instead on finishing with the books. "Yeah, I'm sorry."

"It's cool," she said, getting to her feet. "I always bite off more than I can chew." He thought he saw her eyes flick up and down his body before she looked straight at him. "I have so many; I'm just trying to get them all inside so I can sort them. That's my favorite part."

He had to smile. "You don't obsessively rearrange your bookshelf by chance?"

"Ah, yeah. I do. Sometimes alphabetical by title, by author. Sometimes by color." She shrugged, her smile sheepish.

"I do that too."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

They stared at each other for a beat too long, both of them holding half of the original stack as they got to their feet. "Can I help you carry them in?"

"Uh." She looked around, uncertainly.

"Sorry. Are your, uh... Well, those guys who were here before. Your...brothers?" Edward tried to keep the hopeful note out of his tone, but he wasn't sure how successful he was.

"Brothers?" She laughed. "No. They're friends. And they went to return the truck." She cleared her throat. "And my dad went to grab some lunch."

"Ah, well, if you're not comfortable—"

"No." The word came out perhaps a bit more sharply than she wanted, because her cheeks flushed pink. "Ah, no. It's fine. Many hands make light work and all that."

She led the way through the garage into the living room. Edward chuckled to himself, noting that the one and only thing in place in the living room were the three large book shelves. "You really do have a lot of books."

"Yeah, it might be a problem," she said, setting her stack down.

Edward sat his stack next to hers and straightened up, realizing they were again merely inches from each other. He swayed, boggled by the pull he felt to this complete stranger.

Remembering how to speak, he offered his hand. "I'm Edward Cullen. I live across from you."

Her hand was warm and small in his, but her handshake was firm. "Bella Swan."

Edward had to make himself drop her hand. "I baked cookies. I brought a plate and iced tea as a welcome," he said, gesturing vaguely in the direction they'd come.

A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "You baked cookies?"

Now it was his turn to flush. It occurred to him then that it might not have been the most masculine thing to do. Certainly the man-boys who had been here before didn't seem the type to bake cookies. The idea never bothered Edward before, but he found himself strangely self-conscious in front of this woman. "Yeah, well. It wins over my first graders, so I figured I'd try it."

To his surprise, her expression brightened. "You mean you have first grade kids?"

He laughed. "Oh, no. Not mine. I have no kids. I teach at Marymount Elementary."

If anything, her grin got even more excited. "You're kidding. So do I. Well, I mean. I was just hired, but yeah. Fourth grade." She gestured at a shelf which had the whole set of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing books on it.

"I guess that means we'll be seeing more of each other," Edward said. "In addition to being neighbors. Could be a good thing"

She pushed her glasses up her nose and gave him a sly look. "I reserve judgment until I taste your cookies."

Edward had to bite his tongue to keep from making a risque remark.

Well. This was going to be interesting.


	62. EB XXV Pt 2

**For: Grandma Dee!**

 **Prompt: She begged me for another chapter, and I couldn't deny her. :) Continued from previous chapter.  
**

 **Pairing: E/B**

* * *

The Sunday before the first day of school seemed to stretch on endlessly at first. Bella woke early and spent a restless morning picking things up and putting them down again. She tried to read, but found herself stuck on the same page for an hour on end.

Then, quite suddenly, the day started going by too quickly. Bella had checked and triple checked her lesson plan. She'd ironed her clothes and packed her lunch. Bedtime was coming too soon.

Her doorbell rang. Glad of the distraction, Bella leapt to her feet and practically sprinted. It probably should have occurred to her that it was a little late for guests, but at this point, anything would have been welcome.

Bella shouldn't have been surprised at who she found on her porch. And maybe she wouldn't have been so surprised, except that he was leaning on her door jamb, his face closer than she expected. He seemed surprised too, because he straightened up and cleared his throat. "Sorry," he said with a sheepish smile.

"Um, come in." Bella stepped back. "What's up."

"I thought you might be nervous about tomorrow, so I brought comfort food." He raised one hand, from which dangled a bag of what looked like chinese take out. "And calming libations." He raised the other hand, showing her a bottle of wine.

Bella grinned. "You're like a neighbor from a sit-com, you know that?"

 **~0~**

Forty minutes later, Bella was warm and happy. Her belly was full of good food, and the slight buzz from the wine had effectively driven all of her nerves away. She and Edward were sitting on her couch, chatting.

"Most irrational fear?" Edward asked.

Bella was somewhat distracted by the way he looked, his head lolling on the back of the couch, his eyes dark green and happy as he looked at her. He seemed so comfortable here in her sparse living room. "Irrational fear?" she asked, not sure she understood.

He shifted, bringing his knee up on the sofa, scooting a bit closer and angling his body toward her. "The night before my first day, I kept wondering things like...what if I have one of genius kids you hear about? The ones who don't say much, then all of a sudden they're quoting the works of Shakespeare to you to make you look like an idiot. Imagine a six-year-old who's smarter than you are basically taking over your class."

Bella snorted. "That's the best you got?"

"You got me beat?"

"By about a mile." Her smile fell, and she looked away from him. "I think about that teacher who died to protect her kids when there was an active shooter situation, and I wonder if I would ever be that brave."

Her statement was met by silence, and Bella shook her head. "I'm sorry," she said, turning back to him. "That was way too heavy."

"Hey, the first day of school messes with everyone."

Bella was startled to feel a soft touch to her cheek. She turned her head, and he didn't drop his hand. Instead, he fitted his palm to her face, his eyes soft as he looked at her. "I think you've got plenty of bravery."

Her heart began to pound hard at the look in his eyes, the feel of his palm on her skin. "You don't know me," she said, trying to sound light-hearted. They'd had a few conversations over the summer when she went out running or he found her working in her flower bed.

"I know you're brave."

Bella knew what was going to happen. She could feel it in the air. Every interaction they'd had this summer had held a hint of this. It had been a foregone conclusion since the moment they set eyes on each other. She'd known it, even if she had tried to tell herself she was being ridiculous.

He ducked his head, and Bella closed her eyes, tilting her head up to meet him. Their lips brushed. In an instant, Bella knew it had never been ridiculous. It made no sense, but not everything in the world was meant to.

They parted and Bella bit her lip, resting her forehead against his as she fought a smile.

It looked like tomorrow was going to be a new start in more ways than one.

* * *

 **A/N: Fun fact, I wrote this as I was narrowing down my sperm donor search from 540 to 61. Heh!**


	63. EdwardJasper IV

**For: Natalie**

 **Prompt: A lovely letter from a father to his son, saying he didn't need to plan to come out to him, that he's loved him since he was born, and that he and "Mike" make a cute couple.  
**

 **Pairing: E/J**

* * *

Edward's room was his safe and happy place, especially recently.

Being Forks, it wasn't exactly easy for a growing boy to spend a whole lot of time outside. He had it set up exactly how he wanted, from action figures and posters to gaming consoles and computers.

When he was fourteen and discovered his friend had nowhere to be after school, Edward appealed to his parents. Jasper Whitlock started spending afternoons at the Cullen house. By the time they were Juniors, he was there most weekends too. Edward's room was his safe and happy place too, away from his unhappy home.

Edward's room was where, when they were fifteen, they had shared a kiss so fleeting, it was almost accidental. They were playing video games, taunting and teasing each other. Edward had shoved him. Jasper had grabbed his t-shirt, pulling him forward. Then their faces had been so close together, it was almost impossible not to kiss.

In Edward's room, on his sixteenth birthday, a stammering, red-faced Jasper had told him he wanted to give him a gift. And then, to Edward's infinite surprise, he'd sunk to his knees, pulled his jeans down, and given him the first, and worst, blow job of his life. He got better. They both did.

They'd lost their virginity to each other in this room.

Seventeen now, Edward and Jasper were again in Edward's room. They had long since graduated from groping, exploring friends to something more. Jasper was sitting cross-legged with Edward's head in his lap, running his fingers through his hair. Edward held his free hand, playing with his fingers. His eyes were closed. He let his boyfriend's soft touch soothe him.

"I really think you're overreacting, sugar," Jasper said, not for the first time. "I just can't imagine Carlisle and Esme reacting badly. I mean, don't get m e wrong. Emmett is going to be a dick, but in that Emmett way, you know?" He snickered. "And then you just tell him he's jealous because he knows damn well you get better blow jobs from me than he gets from any of the girls he's been with."

Edward laughed. Feeling the shift of Jasper's body beneath his, he sighed and tilted his chin up to catch Jasper's kiss. Minutes passed. Edward massaged his tongue along Jasper's, reaching up to stroke his face as their lips moved together. He liked how Jasper's long hair tickled his cheeks in this position.

"Baby, I don't want to fight with you," Jasper said. He was still leaning over Edward, nose to nose with him, his hair in both their eyes.

"Then don't?" Edward said hopefully.

Jasper shook his head, straightening up. "Seriously, Edward. I'm getting tired of sneaking around. Your parents will be cool with it."

Edward bit his lip. "What if they're not? I mean, it's one thing when you're talking about random people, but I'm their son. My grandparents are homophobic as hell. And Mom is friends with a whole bunch of this town's worst bigoted assholes."

Jasper scoffed. "This is Forks. That's almost everyone." He looked down at Edward. "Would you really care? Being out in front of them?"

"No," Edward said. Most of his best friends already knew he and Jasper were gay, so it wasn't a matter of losing friends. But his parents? Edward just wasn't sure he wanted to risk it.

"Edward, seriously. They're not going to be upset."

An hour later, they were downstairs for dinner. It was just them and Edward's parents. Emmett was at his girlfriend's house.

Edward was distracted by his own worries-and Jasper's toe running along his foot-so he wasn't paying attention to his parent's conversation for the most part. At least, not until his mother cleared her throat.

"So," she said. "Prom is around the corner. I'm going to Olympia next weekend. I can take you to get suits, if you'd like. How does it work? Matching suits or just matching boutonnieres?"

Edward dropped his fork. Then he hissed when Jasper accidentally kicked him in surprise. He looked, wide-eyed, at his mother. Her look was serene, her eyebrows raised as she waited for an answer to her question.

He snapped his head to the right and balked when he saw his father had a fist to his mouth. He was trying to cover the fact he was laughing his ass off. He smiled at his son. "Your door was open. Your mother overheard you."

"We've known for a while," Esme said.

"Since when?" Edward asked, still in shock. He had reached out at some point and grabbed Jasper's hand for support. Despite his bravado earlier, he was shaking too.

Carlisle's lips twitched downward. "A few months." He looked his son in the eyes, tilting his head with a somewhat reproachful expression. "Since the last time you accidentally left your door open."

Edward and Jasper exchanged looks. Edward had never seen the other boy's cheeks flush that color red. "Oh, fuck," Jasper said under his breath.

"Well, we've had our suspicions since you were very young," Esme said. She reached out, cupping Edward's cheek. He had to try hard not to flinch. "There was never anything for you to plan." She raised an eyebrow. "Unless you want to talk about prom. In which case, I have a few suggestions for you."

Carlisle chuckled again and clapped Jasper on the shoulder, looking at both of them. "Forgive her in advance. I foresee many embarrassing photos in your future" His smile gentled. "Incidentally, you make a cute couple."

" _Dad_ ," Edward protested, finally finding his voice again. He ducked his head, but he could feel the beginnings of a smile tugging at his lips. His eyes stung with unshed tears. Jasper was still clinging to his hand.

* * *

 **A/N: Okay. Here's the list of people who still have Tidbits in limbo. Some of you have more than one. If your name is not on that list and I haven't written your Tidbit, send me a message reminding me what it was. I'm not great at organization, so it's possible I missed you.**

 **Facebook group prompts**

 **Misty Hawkins**

 **BeLynda Smith**

 **Mina Rivera**

Natalie R Gibbs

 **Sue Gilreath**

 **Linda Vogel**

 **Rynee Claire Dago-oc**

 **Sarah Danielle**

 **Mayelina Harrigan**

 **Tracy Jones**

 **Dagmarie Segarra**

 **Nan Kubie**

 **Stephanie Matyszczyk**

 **Kristina Lea**

 **Carla Crooks**

 **Alicia 'Beans' Etheridge**

 **Nancy Pellegrino**

 **Prompts:**

 **MommaJess**

 **skyede**

 **jansails**

 **lovedavidbeckham**

 **CassandraLowery**

 **laurafc1107**

 **LuvinTwilight143**

 **GottaLoveFanFiction**

 **beignet**

 **ImTheLoner**

 **RoryCullen**

 **Sweeneyanne**

 **LoveBite92**


	64. EB XXVII

**For: Rynee**

 **Prompt: Basically, a universe in which everyone is born with a tattoo, and when they fall in love, that person's tattoo appears on their body.  
**

 **Pairing: E/B**

* * *

****Just in case you're the type of person who doesn't read the prompt, it's pretty important to understand the universe these two live in****

The best part of Bella's day was when her boss's husband came in. She and Edward Cullen were in the same boat. Edward came into the office to wait for his wife so they could make the long drive home together. Bella, Tanya Cullen's assistant, was on the clock until she was ready to go home.

It was far from a thankless task for her. Tanya was tough to work for, but she rewarded her employees well. Bella's position had a high turnover rate, not because people couldn't stand to work there, but because Tanya made it her mission to see that anyone who had a start with her company had a bright and brilliant future.

Edward, on the other hand…

Well, Bella couldn't say she understood. He was successful in his own career, but he didn't put in the hours Tanya did. They were both passionate people, but in entirely different ways. Edward had told Bella once that coming to pick up Tanya was his way of keeping connected with his wife. Bella couldn't help but wonder how successful he was. When Tanya left the office, her attention was almost always on her phone; not her husband. It wasn't that she was an asshole. She just didn't seem to have all that much in common with Edward.

But while she couldn't say she understood them as a couple, Bella had determined a long time ago that she shouldn't look a gifthorse in the mouth. While Tanya was busy finishing up this or that, Bella almost always found herself deep in conversation with Edward. He was funny, intelligent, and passionate in his beliefs.

He seemed more subdued as he came in that day. Nervous, somehow. But still he dragged a chair over from a nearby office and sat in front of her desk while Bella put the finishing touches on the presentation she'd been putting together for Tanya's meeting the next day.

"So, the woman said, 'If it wasn't for my horse, I wouldn't have spent that semester in college,'" Edward said.

Bella stopped typing. She furrowed her brow as she turned the overheard conversation over in her head. "Wait...what?"

"Exactly! I have no idea. I've been obsessing over it ever since. I mean, is there any situation you can think of that would justify that sentence?"

"This is why you don't eavesdrop, Edward." She considered for a moment. "Maybe it was one of those pain-in-the-ass horses that likes to buck people off their back. And when she went flying through the air, she did a perfect like...triple back flip or whatever. Some Olympic level gymnast stuff. And she happened to do it in front of the Dean of whatever college who granted her a scholarship right then and there."

Edward grinned at her. "Nice try, Swan, but that makes no rational sense."

"That sentence makes no rational sense."

They ended up with their heads bent together across the desk, scheming one irrational situation after another to fit what Edward had heard.

His eyes were such a gorgeous green. It was hard to ignore when his face was so close.

Bella ducked her head, looking away from him. Determined to distract his gaze, she took out a pen and began to doodle along the edge of her desktop calendar as they spoke. The sides of her calendars—any available paper, really—were always covered in the same crawling-vine pattern.

An odd silence fell between them, and when Bella looked up, she could see Edward's eyes frozen on her hand. She stopped drawing. "What is it?"

Edward swallowed hard. "Can I ask you… Why that design? You draw it all the time. Is there a special meaning behind it."

She leaned back in her chair and pulled up her suit pant leg. "It's my tattoo, see? Silly, right?"

But the look on his face said he thought it was anything but silly. He'd gone pale. "Edward?" she asked, reaching forward to touch him instinctively.

He looked up at her with wide eyes. He didn't say anything, but he stood. He started to unbutton his shirt, and Bella's heart sped. Her eyes darted to the door of Tanya's office and back. "What are you—"

But he had pulled the fabric of his shirt aside to reveal a tattoo. Her tattoo-vibrant on his otherwise unblemished skin. Her hand flew to her mouth. Her heart threatened to burst from her chest.

After a long second she too stood and turned around wordlessly. She took off her jacket, unbuttoned the first few buttons of her shirt with shaking figures, and pulled her shirt down enough to reveal the back of her shoulder. A tattoo had appeared there more than a month ago-a tattoo Bella had told herself over and over again to forget was there.

His tattoo.

She closed her eyes when she felt his fingers at her skin. He'd stepped close, and she knew she should tell him to stop. Tanya was close, and there were so many reasons this was a bad thing.

And she had so many questions. Had Tanya seen? If she hadn't, how had she missed it? And where was Tanya's tattoo on his body? And—

"What do we do?" he asked near her ear, his voice as wrecked as she felt. But even as he asked the words, she felt the brush of his lips on her skin.

Tears filled her eyes. It had been bad enough when she thought her love was unrequited. This…

This was impossible.

"I have no idea," she said.

* * *

 **A/N: No. :-p**


	65. EB XXVIII

**For: Twilightaddict200**

 **Prompt: Edward is a big time movie star, Bella is his assistant. She is raising 3 kids on her own. He's in love with her, but she's put him off, until one day she can't.**

 **A/N: Welp. I'm busy writing my ofic, but I needed some help jump starting my mojo today. I told you I wouldn't forget about these.**

* * *

"Cut. That was great, people. That's a wrap for the day on you, Cullen. Everyone else, the scene will be reset in an hour. Take a break."

Almost the instant Edward had walked out of the range of the cameras, his assistant fell into step beside him. She handed him a cup of coffee-piping hot, how the hell did she always know when they were about to break?-and started speaking. "Your bag is packed and ready, so you should be able to leave as soon as you get out of costume. Your agent came by with a few scripts. I read them and sorted them into your bag by most interesting." She coughed. "I struggled not to throw the one on the bottom away. Trash is the best thing I can call it."

Edward chuckled. He wouldn't even look at it. He'd figured out a long time ago that he and Bella had the same taste in projects.

"Your mother called. I told her yes you would be able to make it to see your father for his birthday. And I had the photo shoot rescheduled to accommodate the flight. It's two days and you miss your parents, Edward. Don't tell me you don't."

"I do." He grimaced. "I had to skip the last weekend I promised them because of those reshoots."

"Good. Oh, and I sorted your fanmail. You can read them all, of course, but I sorted the ones i know you would want to read. They're all in your trailer. And there are…" She stopped and cleared her throat. "There are a few more requests from Make-A-Wish."

He paused at the door to his dressing room, hearing the catch in her voice. She wasn't looking at him. She never did when they had to talk about this.

They'd met two years before because of the Make-A-Wish foundation. Back then, she'd been a single mother with three very young children, one of whom was dying. He'd liked her right away. She was plucky and funny and would have done anything for any of her kids.

Edward kept in touch and had quietly paid for an elaborate service he knew she couldn't afford when her little boy passed away. The only reason he'd gotten away with it was because Bella had been out of her mind with grief. But by then, he considered himself her friend. Seeing her and the children he adored go through that had been horrible. Paying for the funeral alleviated at least the tiniest bit of his helplessness.

Afterward, he'd talked her into replacing his useless assistant. She'd given up her job as an executive assistant when her son got so sick, so she was more than qualified.

Now, he reached out and squeezed her arm. "Whatever they want. Make it happen." He cleared his throat. "It's kind of late. I'm taking you home today, right?" He'd picked her up that morning because her car was in the shop. Her home-brewed coffee was better than Starbucks anyway.

"Yeah. I'll check the kids out of the on-set daycare while you change."

Half an hour later, all four of them were ready. He swept five-year-old Bree up onto his shoulders, Bella shifted three-year-old Riley to her hip, and they headed for his car.

The kids had conked out by the time they got home, so he helped carry them up to bed. He watched her-the tender way she caressed and kissed each of her baby's cheek. How she kissed her fingertips and pressed it against the picture of her eldest child, Jacob, before she joined him in the doorway.

He wanted to put his arm around her, because he knew she was aching. He wanted to draw her close and kiss her forehead. He wanted a lot of things.

"Bella?" he said as she walked with him downstairs.

She looked up, arching an eyebrow in question.

He swallowed hard, letting his eyes drift down to her lips. "I know the first time I asked you weren't ready. And if you aren't now-"

"Are you going to ask me out again?"

He looked up at into her eyes and was surprised to see they were light. He tilted his head. "If I did, would you say yes?"

"I think the odds are better than your chance at an Oscar nod this year."

He blinked. "Hey, they're giving me good odds this year. Almost definite nomination on all the lists."

She raised her eyebrow again, the look on her face indicating she was unimpressed by his ability to miss the point. "Oh," he said, realizing what that meant. He grinned. "Oh." He reached out and took her hand, twining their fingers together. "A date then. When I get home from visiting my parents."

"It's a date," she said.

It was the beginning of something new and beautiful for both of them.

* * *

 **A/N: Phew. Forgot how fun those were. Imma take the time to remind you these are not beta'ed.**


	66. JasperBella VI

**For: Sweeneyanne**

 **Prompt:** the Beautiful Joni Mitchell song lyric. "I wish I had a river to skate away on..." with an hea of course.

Pairing: Jasper/Bella

* * *

Phoenix in the summer was miserably hot. Frying an egg on the sidewalk wasn't hyperbole; she'd done it so many times in her youth. The kind of heat that radiated through her shoes, making walking nothing short of torture.

And Bella walked. She'd walked everywhere. Her family was the kind of poor that couldn't afford bikes. Even if it was only a walk to bus stop, the heat had a habit of seeping her energy straight out of her bones. Her life hadn't ever been easy.

It had been better, though, since there was Jasper.

She'd snuck into a bar when she sixteen with a bunch of friends she shouldn't have been hanging out with. He was the bartender, and she could tell he'd seen right through her when she held her head up high and pretended she had any business ordering. She's ordered a Sex on the Beach because it was the first thing that came to mind, especially when she was looking at his sky blue eyes. The way he'd grinned at her did things to her heart. He had scraggly blond hair and a Southern twang. Of course she was smitten in an instant.

That night, he'd served her four Sex on the Beaches, or so he'd said. She thought it was her imagination that he kept looking at her all night. When her friends-so called friends-left her drunken ass in the clutches of some unsavory characters, he'd stepped in. He'd been off work for an hour because he suspected she was in over her head.

When the creepers had closed in, Jasper stepped up. He threw his arm around her shoulder, pretended to be her boyfriend, and steered her outside. There, he had insisted on taking her home. When she told him she didn't want to go home drunk, he'd told her she wasn't drunk. Couldn't be, seeing as he'd been serving her virgin drinks all night.

Eventually, after she got over her mortification, she and Jasper became friends. It was him she'd run to when her mother's asshole boyfriend started to slap her around. She was seventeen. She slept on his couch. Then she was eighteen. He kissed her, and she slept in his bed.

Now, she was twenty. They were happy. Tired, but happy. At least, she was as happy as anyone could be in their shoes. They were broke as hell. Every day was an uncertainty. Every month, they held their breath, waiting to see if they could make ends meet. He tended bar and dreamed about working on motorcycles. She worked at Barnes and Noble, waiting for Amazon to take even that much from her. She wanted to go to school, but every time she tried, something got in her way.

They both kept trying.

On nights this hot, they crept out onto their tiny patio. He held her in his arms and told her cold, cold stories about where he'd grown up and the time he'd spent hitchhiking around the country when he was a teenager.

Bella had never been out of Arizona.

"Lake Superior freezes," he said, his lips near her ear. "You can walk across the lake to the Apostle Islands. You ever seen a waterfall freeze, sugar?"

She snorted. "Babe, I don't think I've seen a waterfall with my own eyes. The only waterfalls in Arizona are at the bottom of the Grand Canyon." She cocked her head. "I think I saw Grand Falls when I was really little, but I don't remember."

"Well, in the winter, it gets so cold, the water freezes as it falls. You want to touch a frozen waterfall?"

She sighed, closing her eyes as he pulled her sweaty hair back away from her neck. "I want to touch a frozen anything at this point, but that sounds...kind of magical."

"It's cool." He snorted. "Literally." He sighed and kissed her cheek. "We're going to get there. I promise."

She craned her neck back to grin at him. "Can we skate on a river?"

He looked amused. "I told you I skated on a Great Lake with frozen waterfalls, and you want a river?"

She looked out over the barren desert outside. "I like the idea of it being so cold, running water would freeze. But I can't skate down a waterfall. I'd break my neck."

"And it is such a pretty neck." He nipped at her neck until she giggled. "We'll skate any river you want. Well. Any river that freezes."

She held her pinky out. "You and me together."

He crossed his pinky with hers and squeezed, grinning. "We'll own the world some day. I guarantee."

And Bella believed him.


	67. EB XXIX

**For: GottaLoveFanFiction**

 **Prompt:** Making new New Year family traditions - 2 sons, (but new to being empty nesters).

 **Pairing: Edward/Bella**

* * *

Edward and Bella had their children young. Too young, most people would say. She was sixteen, he was seventeen. Most the odds were stacked against them. But they loved each other and their baby, their Carlie.

Bella's mother washed her hands of the both of them when they got pregnant again only a year after Carlie. It was a blow. A setback, but they were still head over heels for each other, and enamored of their Frankie.

They had the support of Edward's parents and Bella's father Charlie. They worked hard, learning to be good parents before they were done being children. They four of them lived in one room in until Carlie was four and Frankie was three.

The way it worked out, between both their work schedules, when they got their own place, the only day they could move was New Year's Eve. It was a small place, but it still took all day. It was almost the New Year before they were done-way too late to get anything special to celebrate. But, as luck would have it, they had milk, bananas, ice cream, and a blender.

"Banana smoothies," Edward declared. The girls jumped up and down excitedly, and Bella kissed his cheek. A tradition was born. Every year, their family ran in the New Year's together with banana smoothies as the ball dropped.

Every year. For twenty-nine years.

When Carlie was fifteen, they got pregnant again. Accidentally. Again. With twins. It was different, of course. They'd made it. Against all odds, they were both educated, gainfully employed, and happy. Life was not without its challenges, but their rambunctious twin boys had a much different upbringing than their resilient little girls. Life wasn't such a struggle then.

In May, their twins, Adam and Finn, graduated. Their babies. They'd have the summer together, and then they were off to college in England. England.

"Spoiled brats," Edward teased his sons. "Community college was good enough for your mom and me."

Later that night, when they were alone, Edward rolled over and slung his arm over his wife's waist. He kissed her shoulder, smiling when she snuggled back against him. Thirty-three years together, and he was still head over heels in love with this beautiful woman.

"You know what I was thinking?" he asked, kissing up her neck.

"What's that?"

"It's just going to be us this year at New Year."

She turned in his arms to stare at him. "It's May Edward."

"It's a prediction. The girls are doing their own thing with their families. The boys are going to stay in England. It's going to happen. Or at least, they're going to want to winter in Europe."

She snorted. "Winter in Europe. That's high class."

He chuckled. "The point is, I don't think we're going to get milkshakes this year."

"We can still have milkshakes," Bella said, but her voice was sad.

It was strange that their nest, in a few short months, would be empty.

"It's never been just us," he mused.

"So what are you saying?"

He brushed his nose with hers. "I'm saying, we're about to start our lives over again. For the third time." Wasn't that a stunning notion to reckon with. "And we're on our own."

"Potentially," she reminded.

"Potentially." He rubbed her back, looking into her eyes. "I think it's time for a new tradition."

"You got something in mind?"

"Mmhmm." He studied her for a long moment. "I think we should ring in every new year for the rest of our lives in a different place."

Her eyebrows arched. "Vacations? Alone? You and me? Edward, we have four kids and 2.5 grandkids. You think we're going to manage to be alone every New Year? Carlie will flip out."

"You're right. You're right." He quirked his lips. "We'll invite them. Sometimes."

She laughed at the idea. "Sometimes," she muttered. She laughed again. "We've been planning our lives around our kids for thirty-three years."

"Hey." He touched her cheek tenderly. "We turned ourselves from children into parents once. Remember? This can't be harder than that."

She smiled with watery eyes, and took a deep breath. "Paris first?"

They'd never been to Paris.

He grinned and kissed her. "Wherever you want to go."

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks to Nan for the names.**


	68. EB XXX

**For: LoveBite92**

 **Prompt:** My prompt was the first interaction between a young economics professor and a student.

 **Pairing: Edward/Bella**

* * *

Her Economics professor was two things: boring and incredibly attractive. His gorgeous face was a plus, Bella would be the first to admit. She also had a thing for guys with glasses. She also thought it was hilarious that he had a habit of pushing his glasses back up his nose using his middle finger, thus flipping the whole class off during his lectures. Which were boring.

To be fair, Bella sincerely doubted anyone could have made introductory economics exciting. Professor Cullen didn't even pretend to try. He'd said at the beginning of the semester that he was well aware the majority of them were in his class because they needed the credit, not because economics was their passion.

"This is just a class you have to get through to get to the classes you really want; I've been there," he'd said. "Trouble is, you still have to pass. Try to stay awake. Or if you must fall asleep, try not to snore so everyone who's paying attention can still hear me."

She liked the sound of his voice; she just would have preferred he was using it-velvet and silky as it was-to read audiobooks. Now that would have been nice-his smooth voice in her ear, whispering tales of romance and adventure. And the smut scenes…

Well, the point was, there weren't enough good looks and great reading voice in the world to make things like antitrusts and mergers and acquisitions a scintillating way to spend a couple of hours. Bella thought about working up a good crush on the man-he couldn't have been that old; maybe still in his twenties-just to pass the time, but she couldn't imagine an economist would have anything interesting to talk about on a dinner date.

The night after her first economics exam-brutal, just fucking horrible-she arrived back at her dorm with a broken brain. "I don't want to think anymore," she whined to her roommate.

Alice snickered. "Honey, I have a solution to that problem."

Her solution was her boyfriend. Jasper owned a bar across town and always let them in despite the fact they were nineteen. He knew they were no trouble. They liked to get their drink on, but always left before they were so drunk they drew attention. The bar had a stage and live music every Friday night. Karaoke on Wednesdays.

Bella wasn't paying much attention to the band that night. She was too busy cackling with Alice and their mutual friend Jacob. The tequila sunrise was working its way through her bloodstream, easing the tension of a hectic week.

And then, she heard it. The band's singer started in-a throaty, bluesy number. It was a sexy voice-smooth and velvety. Like…

Her head snapped up. Her eyes widened. She thought she had to be imagining things. Surely this vision on the stage-tight black jeans, his shirt open enough to reveal a muscular chest and the tattoos on his upper arms, glorious bed head-couldn't be her staid economics professor.

He used his middle finger to push glasses up his nose as he took a breath between verses, and she gasped. "Oh, god."

"Oh, god what?" Jacob asked.

"Nothing," Bella said quickly, but it was too late. Both Jake and Alice had followed her stare to the stage. Alice whistled.

"Not nothing," she said. "I can get behind that. Something like that would do you some good, Bella. You're so studious. You need someone who can shake up your life a bit."

Bella covered her face with her hands, hiding a giggle. "Alice, if you only knew what you were saying…"

She tried to put it out of her head; tried not to stare at the stage during the band's set; tried not to memorize the way his voice sounded, the way it reverberated with each note. She especially ignored how the words, the lyrics, made her blood sing and something deep in her gut coil tight with want.

Finally, their set was over, and the band disappeared. Bella thought she was safe. There was a lull in the evening-Jake was working on scoring a phone number and Alice had disappeared for a few minutes with Jasper. Bella went to the bar.

"I want to try something new," she told the bartender. "Something sweet and delightfully alcoholic."

"Have you ever had a Swedish Fish?"

Bella shivered. The answer had come not from the bartender, but someone standing close beside her. Someone who had leaned in so his words could be heard above the din. Silky and smooth and, right now, mixed with a hint of flirtation. She let out a long breath before she turned her head to the side.

Jesus Christ, the sexiness quotient when he smiled went through the roof. How was that for economics?

He didn't recognize her; she could see that. And why would he? The class she was in was a lecture, and he wouldn't expect to find a nineteen year old student in a bar so far away from campus.

"It's sweet. Tasty," he continued. He quirked an eyebrow, his smile crawling up into a lopsided grin that would have made her knees weak if she wasn't sitting in her barstool. "And on me, if you're interested."

Oh, she was interested. There was no way she should do this. It couldn't possibly end well. But…

She smiled back. "Yeah. That sounds disgusting, so of course, I have to try it."

So much for not crushing on the hot professor.


	69. CarlisleBella V

**For: CassandraLowery**

 **Prompt: Doctor/nurse of relatively the same age.**

 **Pairing: Carlisle/Bella**

* * *

Working in the ER, it was anyone's guess what would happen one minute to the next. Some nights it was all new mothers with feverish newborns, people who'd managed to cut half their finger off making dinner, and the odd twenty-something who had gotten something stuck up his ass. Other nights...chaos.

That night didn't start out so bad. The EMT's had radioed about a stabbing victim en route. It wasn't looking good for him. It was an emergency to be sure, but it was a manageable one-typical as these things went.

Carlisle jogged out to the ambulance bay, bouncing on his feet, ready for the race of life vesus death to begin. He knew the man would have to be wheeled into surgery immediately.

He cracked his neck and looked over as the door behind him opened. He grinned seeing that his favorite nurse, Bella, had joined the team waiting for their patient. Especially in the ER, it was imperative everyone was working as a team. He and Bella worked very well together.

"Ready for this?" he asked as she came up beside him.

She had her game face on, but spared him a smile. "Always."

The sound of the siren drew closer. The doors of the ambulance flew open, and the race was on.

When they got the patient inside-that was when chaos reigned.

The patient was being uncooperative. He was disoriented and struggled against them, but he was in such a bad way, no one expected him to be difficult to control.

They were getting ready to put him under when he rallied in the worst possible way. He thrashed, throwing off the nurse trying to get him hooked up to all the machines he needed to be hooked up to. Carlisle saw Bella go in. She was small, but surprisingly adept at handling writhing patients. She'd told him once that her father taught her all the self-defense holds she used to keep a patient still enough to stick needles into.

The knife appeared out of nowhere. The patient screamed and sat straight up, his arm going out in a wide arc. At first, Carlisle missed the fact there was a knife in his hand. He missed it until Bella screamed. There was a slash in the arm of her scrubs and blood. Her blood. She stumbled backward, but not on time to avoid the patient's furious lunge.

"Bella!" he heard himself shout. His first instinct was to move toward her, to catch her as she fell backward. He would have, but one of the other nurses grabbed him by the wrist.

"Dr. Cullen, we need you here," she said fiercely, keeping him anchored.

It was the only time in his memory he had trouble upholding his oath to harm none. The asshole bleeding to death under his hands was his patient and his responsibility. Ethically, he had to keep his concentration on his patient. He had to give the right orders. And after his patient had been subdued and knocked the fuck out, he had to run into the operating bay to work on putting him back together again.

He had to push the horrendous sight of Bella falling backward-her eyes wide and shattered, her blood spilling out onto the floor-out of his head. He had to pretend it wasn't taking all his considerable willpower not to jam his scalpel into this asshole's throat. He had to try not to wonder what was happening. Was Bella even now under another surgeon's knife? Who else was on duty? Were they good enough? Would they save her?

Did she need saving?

The mood in the operating room was intense, rife with restrained fury as they all worked to save the man who'd hurt their friend.

~0~

Dawn was breaking before Carlisle finally made it to her room. The adrenaline had long ago left him, and, as he looked on her, he could feel he was trembling.

This was not the bright, vivacious woman he knew. Her features were slack, her skin a sickly gray. She'd lost a lot of blood, they told him. Almost too much before they were able to repair the damage. She was stable. In all likelihood, she would recover.

Losing so much blood left one weak for days. Carlisle had to remind himself of that repeatedly. She wasn't dying. She just needed to get her strength back; that was all.

Still, he couldn't seem to shake the fear. It was enough that he broke all the barriers he'd constructed long ago. He sank into the chair beside her and took her hand. He bowed his head, breathing raggedly as he sent up a silent prayer to any gods that might be listening.

Finally, he spoke to her. "Do you remember what you told me about a month after I started working here?" he asked her too-still form. "A doctor and nurse had just come out of a torrid love affair, and you thought they were so dumb. Remember? They were having trouble working together because the break up was so bad. You said you would never date a doctor from your hospital."

He sighed and massaged her fingers. "You can't imagine how often those words kept me from acting on what I felt." He swallowed. "What I feel for you. But this… If this kind of situation is good for anything, it's shifting perspectives. It would be worth the risk of looking foolish to ask if you'd change your mind for me. Or at least make an exception. I've often thought… The way you look at me sometimes…"

He shook his head, smiling ruefully. He placed a soft kiss against her knuckles. "Wake up, and I promise I'll be brave enough to try."

~0~

Days passed. Bella began to recover. But she was popular. Her parents and best friend had flown in from various parts of the country. There were always coworkers stepping in to see her. Carlisle was there too, but always with someone else.

It wasn't important. She was alive and awake. Her tired expression brightened into a smile when she saw him. All good signs.

Carlisle was on duty the day she was finally released from the hospital. He found her in her room with her parents. When she saw him, she turned almost instantly to her father.

"Will you and mom take all these flowers to the car?"

Unsurprisingly, her parents were still in do-anything-for-her mode. They agreed, and a minute later, they were alone.

"I'd really like to hug you," Carlisle said, surprised that he didn't feel foolish saying the words. It had been too many days, and the need to feel her in his arms-feel that she was whole and strong-outweighed the worry that he'd come across as creepy. "Would that make you uncomfortable?"

"No. I like hugs."

Now you tell me. Carlisle was careful as he wound his arms around her, holding her close. He knew she was still injured-that she was in pain much of the time. She tried not to, but he saw how stiffly she walked and how often she winced. He held her as tightly as he dared and was satisfied when she melted against him.

"Carlisle?" she said after a moment.

He knew he should let go, but he couldn't bring himself to do it yet. And she wasn't pushing him away, either. In fact, she was clinging to him. "Hmm?"

"I need to ask you something."

He felt her tremble under his hands and took one step back, his hands on her shoulders. "What is it? Are you feeling all right?"

Her answering smile was gentle. "I'm fine. It's just…" She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "I was wondering if maybe you and I can go out for a drink sometime. You know, when I'm not on medication that specifically says not to take with alcohol."

Carlisle was so shocked, a jolt went down his spine. "I...you mean like a date?"

Looking at him, she nodded.

"But I thought you said-"

"I know what I said; what I've always said, but I almost died." She shook her head. "Life's too short, you know? Not to take chances." She dropped her hands, taking his and giving them a squeeze before letting go. "I don't know why, but I feel like you'd be worth the risk." She held his gaze for a moment before she ducked her head. "But if you don't-"

He cupped her face in his hands, tilting her head up. He kissed her before she could doubt for another second. Then, he laughed and kissed her again.

"I've been wanting to do that for three years," he murmured against her lips a full minute later."

"Mmm." She kissed him; a small, sweet peck. "So does that mean you'll go out with me?"

He laughed. "Yes." He kissed her one more time before he let her go.

* * *

 **A/N: Update on my regular fics:**

 **Anyone in my group knows I'm on a mini-hiatus to finish my ofic. Did I also mention that it's finals week at school? It's a busy time. Still, I expect to get back to my regular fics next week at the latest.**

 **Thanks, duckies!**


	70. EB XXXI

**For: Misty Hawkins**

 **Prompt: Photo a guy took of his exhausted girlfriend who passed out while studying. He took it because he was proud and amazed of all she accomplished. Very sweet.**

 **Pairing: Edward/Bella**

* * *

The door to the condo came open with a creak, startling Edward. On instinct, he gathered Danielle closer to him, ready to protect her as he looked over his shoulder toward the door.

It was Bella. She put a finger to her lips and mouthed. "I'm not here. I'm not here," as she creeped toward the laptop bag he'd noticed earlier she'd forgotten.

"Eeeedddiiiieee," Danielle whined, wiggling out of Edward's embrace.

"Ah. Dani, why don't we-"

But it was too late. Danielle gasped and bolted off the couch. "Mommy! Mommy, you're home."

Bella's face fell, but she'd managed to put her smile back on by the time her six-year-old daughter reached her. She bent at the knees and caught the girl as she barrelled into her.

Edward caught her eye as she straightened up and gave her a sympathetic smile. He knew what was coming next.

"You're home early, Mommy. Before dinner." She gasped, delighted. "Can we have dinner together? You, me, and Eddie?"

Bella closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Edward's heart ached for her. She walked Danielle to the couch and sat her on the back of the sofa. The girl looked so happy to have her mother home before bedtime.

"Baby, I'm sorry," she said, caressing Danielle's hair. "I forgot my bag. I still have to go to school." She tried to smile, talking quickly to outrun Danielle's obvious unhappiness. "But you know I have Friday off. That's only two more dinners away. And then the weekend. We have the whole weekend."

The girl's face crumpled, and she began to sniff, about to cry. "But you have to study so much. Like last weekend. We were supposed to go to the zoo, but you said-"

"I know." Bella took a shaky breath. "I know. I was supposed to finish the project last week, but work got crazy, and…" She closed her eyes and shook her head. "Never mind. I'll make it up to you, baby. I promise."

"Then stay. Stay tonight," Danielle begged. "Please. No one else's mom goes to school. School isn't for grown ups."

"That's not true," Edward said, putting a light arm around Danielle's shoulders. "Lots of moms go to school, pretty girl. It's not forever. It's just for a little while."

Danielle pressed her fists into her eyes. "I know, I know, I know. You said it's for our life to be better. But I my life is better when you're here, Mommy." She was full on sobbing now.

Edward winced.

"Dani, I'm sorry…"

"I got her, honey," Edward said, wrapping an arm around her waist. He squeezed her and pressed a long kiss to her forehead. "We got plans for tonight, don't we, Dani girl?"

"I want Mommy. Mommy, not you," Danielle cried miserably. But she let Edward pick her up and buried her head at his neck.

"Go on," Edward mouthed. "I'm sorry."

Her eyes tortured, Bella nodded. She took one more look at them and headed out the door, her head bowed.

~0~

Danielle was asleep when Bella got home. Her classes let out around 9:30 at night, so of course the kid was asleep. Edward leaned against the door jamb and watched Bella perch on the edge of her daughter's bed. His heart ached as she pressed a kiss to Danielle's temple.

Edward took Bella's hand when she stood and pulled her to him. "Can I tell you a bedtime story?" he murmured against her hair.

She laughed-a shaky, teary laugh. "Sure."

"Once upon a time there was a gorgeous princess raising a beautiful little girl all on her own." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You know what they say about kids that are raised by single moms."

Bella scoffed and looked toward her daughter, her expression worried. "More likely to be delinquent. Not to graduate. Blah, blah, fucking blah."

"Right. So, the princess was trying her best, when it so happened she ran into an insanely attractive prince."

Bella snorted. "They usually are, those princes." She sighed. "So he saved her and her daughter."

"Oh, hell no."

She turned in his arms to look at him. "No?"

He kissed the tip of her nose. "No. See, when the prince found the princess, she was doing great."

Bella looked at him as though she thought he was crazy. "Great, huh?"

"Mmmhmm. Her baby was healthy and happy. She was precocious and smart. So smart. And kind. One of the kindest kids in her class. All the prince did was fall in love with them."

Bella wrapped her arms around him, holding him close. She lifted her head to kiss him. "You don't think I'm doing the wrong thing? You don't think I should be with her every day?"

"You are with her every day."

"But not as much as I should be."

"Should according to whom?" Edward shook his head. "Honey, here's what my mother taught me about being a parent: your job is to prepare them to live without you. It's been rough for you two, and yeah, you could say that Dani is stronger than she should have to be, but that's true of a lot of people. The world isn't an easy place for most of us, you know?"

He cupped her face between her hands. "It's brave, what you're doing. Going back. Reaching for a dream that looked like it was out of reach for a while. And yeah, it's hard on Dani. But she knows now. She knows that reaching for your dreams can be rough. On you and the people who love you. But your daughter will be there when you walk across that stage, baby. What she's going to see is that she can do anything she dreams of, even if life does put a few pitfalls in her way."

She pressed one hand over his against her cheek, her eyes teary. "I couldn't have done it without you."

"Oh, I think you could have." He kissed her sweetly. "But I'm glad I'm here to help. I love you, Bella Swan."


	71. EB XXXII

**For: Nan Kubie**

 **Prompt: "Can't Change Me" by Chris Cornell: "I can see that she's trying to free me. Suddenly I know. She's going to change the world."**

 **Pairing: Edward/Bella**

 **A/N: This...got out of hand.**

* * *

She was the reason, the only reason, he still read his sister's letters.

Alice knew exactly where to hit him. He got tired of reading of her and their brother, Emmett. He was tired of having it thrown in his face that though they'd all lost their parents, Edward was the only one who'd gone off the deep end. Petty crime. A few months in jail here and there-just enough of a record to make it easier to become a repeat offender than to get a job.

Always, just when he was about to throw her letter down and stomp on it, her name would pop up.

Bella.

And what sweet agony that was. Bella was, far and away, the only light in Edward's world. She had been since they were both fucked up kids in an awful foster home.

Here was the truth about the system: most foster homes were okay. They weren't a replacement for the loving family Edward had come from; that every child deserved, but they were okay. True affection was rare, but true abuse was rarer.

Which wasn't to say it didn't happen. It did. It happened to Edward and Bella. Edward got angry. Ripped from his parents and then his siblings, he found his family among the low lifes that preyed on that kind of misery. Subjected to unimaginable horrors at the hands of his foster father, Edward took his pain out on the system that had failed him. Why the hell should he believe in law and order when law had handed him over to a monster?

Bella got stronger. She'd never lost her kindness. She'd turned their ordeal into a mission: do her best to make sure it never happened to another child. In high school, she was obsessed with her grades. It paid off. She got a scholarship. Eventually, she got her law degree. She started to protect kids like them. She helped found a private foster family agency, doing her part. She was an activist, fighting for education for at risk parents, fighting for the rights of children, fighting however she could. She'd just fought for her first local election and won.

When she could, she fought for Edward.

Every single time he was out, Bella was by his side. She tried her best to keep him on the straight and narrow. She failed every time. Not because she wasn't good enough, but because he wasn't.

So he subjected himself to the torture of following her life through Alice's letters, and whenever Bella put in a request to see him, he accepted.

Visiting days were simultaneously the best and worst days of his life. He loved her. Plain and simple, he knew he did. He loved looking at her. He lived for the one simple hug they got. He lived for the sound of her voice and, though they were rare the longer her fight went on, her precious smiles.

On one such visiting day, close to the end of his current sentence, they sat across from each other. She was keeping up a pretense of cheerfulness, talking about his upcoming release.

"You can stay with me, if you want. I have a spare bedroom that would be perfect. Very private."

He eyed her. "You're sure that's what Jacob wants?"

Her smile faltered. Jacob Black-the man she'd married the year before. Their daughter was born six months after their wedding. Edward hated the man with everything in him. He'd never met him, but he hated him all the same. He was happy for Bella; she deserved all the good things in life, but he still hated Jacob Black.

Bella swallowed hard. "He'll be fine with it."

They continued talking, Edward feeling lower and lower as she went over her action plan. She always had an action plan. She spent so much time thinking about his life, and why? When had he ever been worth it?

After another minute, he couldn't take it. He slammed his palm down on the table. "You can't save me," he said, his voice low because he knew the guards were looking their way.

To her credit, she didn't even try to deny that's what she wanted. She took her hands off the table and ducked her head. "I'm not going to give up on you."

"Why?" he demanded. He rubbed a hand over his eyes and laughed without humor. "What have I done in my life that makes you think it's even worth saving, huh? I'm nothing. I'm no one. Why are you still here, Bella?"

He both hoped with everything in him for the day she would stop showing up to these visits and dreaded them. When she stopped-and she would, especially now that she had a baby and a husband, she would-that would be it. He'd have nothing left to live for.

"Edward," she whispered, shaking her head sadly. When she looked at him, her eyes were filled with tears, but they were fierce as ever. "Don't you see yourself? The only bad things you've done in your life are the things that get you put in here. They're tiny incidents, bad choices. You've never hurt anyone. You're not a bad person. I…"

She stopped short of the words he ached to hear: I love you.

 _Yeah, keep dreaming, buddy_. As though there were any world where he'd be worthy of her love. He rubbed a hand over his eyes, tired and aching and angry at everything. "You can't save me," he said again quietly.

"Maybe not." She took a deep breath. "But if I can't; maybe she can." She set a picture between them.

Curious, he peeked. He quirked an eyebrow. "Your baby is going to save me?"

"I'm kind of hoping _your_ baby will save you."

Edward froze. For two long seconds, he turned those words over in his mind. With a calmness he didn't feel, he raised his head. "What?"

"She's yours," she said, voice cracking. "Why do you think I named her after your mother, Edward?

His mind raced. His heartbeat sped out of control. "But your husband-"

"My husband has never touched me. Jacob is gay, Edward. It's a marriage of convenience."

He sat back in his chair, scrubbing his hands over his face.

When he was out, when they were together, things just happened. It hadn't been his intention, and since she was seeing Jacob, he was fairly sure it hadn't been her intention either. He never could stay away from her. No matter how much he told himself he would only ever ruin her life, he could never stay away. "My God. Oh, my God. Bella…"

"Come home. To both of us. She's so little, she never has to know you missed any part of her life."

"But...you're married."

"I'll leave. Jacob already knows that."

"But your career. If you did that, you'd never be president."

She laughed. "I never wanted to be a politician. That just happened. And it doesn't matter. I'd burn it all to the ground for you. Go back to being a lawyer. Poor me." She offered him a tiny, hopeful smile.

He couldn't return it. He wanted to. He'd never wanted anything as much as he wanted the picture she'd just painted for him-a future he'd never let himself imagine before. "But why?"

She sighed. "Because I love you."

"You shouldn't." His breath hitched. "I've always failed you. Always."

"Not always." She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "Try harder. Don't fail her, and I promise I'll be there to help you."

The guards started making their rounds. Visiting day was over. Edward was numb as he got to his feet. He had no idea what to think or even how he was feeling.

"I'll send you the picture," she whispered in his ear, hugging him as tightly and as long as she dared. "You're thirty-two years old. You have so much life left to live, Edward. Don't give another minute to this place. Give it to her." She squeezed him. "Please."

He walked back to his cell in a daze. The whole world had changed.

* * *

 **A/N: *side eyes***


	72. Bella

**A/N: Soooooooooooo. This popped into my head and wouldn't go away until I wrote it down. It's, obviously, not part of the original Tidbits, but I liked it. And I'd like to save it for…you know…just in case.**

* * *

Ness,

It's a strange thing to be pregnant. A magic stick told me you were there. It would be months before I could feel you. Nine months before I could really see you and hold you.

Your heartbeat was my first tangible proof you were really there—alive and growing. I saw the blurry dot on the monitor, but that wasn't something I could identify with. But your heartbeat, strong and steady, I understood.

It's impossible not to know, not to fear, all the things that can happen. Miscarriage is a common, common thing. Every time I went to the doctor, when she put the wand to my belly, I held my breath. Only when I heard your heartbeat could I breathe again, knowing you were still alive and growing. They printed your heartbeat on the ultrasound printout, so I knew the shape of it.

If I thought some of the worry would go away after you were born, when I could feel you and see you, and watch you grow, I was sorely mistaken. It was worse in a lot of ways—those moments when silence brought on an intense wave of paranoia that sent me running to your crib. Those days when you slept so deeply and peacefully, you seemed far too still. Not my squirmy, rambunctious baby, but a little doll. Only when I put my hand over your chest, when I could feel your heartbeat beneath my palm, did I calm down again.

And then, my little love, the second worst moment of my life. When the doctors told me your heart was strong, but a heart alone wouldn't keep you alive. Disease, they said, would steal you away from me—your smiles, your laughter, your inquisitive nature. My beautiful you. Gone was the future I'd promised you—all the things we would do together and all the places you would go when you were grown. My bright light

I miss you, Ness. I miss you so much. What I lost the day you went was more than I think I can bare most days.

But the world, I decided, didn't have to lose all of you. I sent what I could of you back out into the world so part of you would live, would thrive.

I got a letter a month ago from a man named Edward Cullen. He's the father of a three-year-old boy named Emmett.

I like to imagine that you and Emmett would be playmates in a different world, if things hadn't gone as they did. But like you, Emmett was sick. Unlike you, his heart wasn't so strong.

You saved his life, my little love. I'm so proud of you.

Edward says his Emmett is rambunctious, just like you. A little troublemaker with a big, beautiful smile and the cutest dimple.

He wondered, he said, if his son would lose his kind, giving heart—a defective but beautiful heart. It turns out, he didn't need to worry. You had one of the sweetest hearts I know of, Ness, and little Emmett is just as kind as you were. The world needs more kindness.

Edward said if I ever wanted to hear your precious heartbeat one more time, I could.

It's like our earliest days all over again, sunshine. So many people tell me you're still there, and I want to believe. I want to believe we'll see each other again, and I'll get to hold you in my arms, and kiss your soft hair, and hear your sweet giggle. But sometimes, it's hard to believe when I can't see you or feel you.

Just like that first heartbeat, I'll hold my breath. And when I hear it again, there will be that moment of relief. My heart will never not bleed for you. Yours beats on, strong and steady as ever.


End file.
